


At your service, my queen

by Avra



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akumatized Chloé Bourgeois, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Dragon Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Episode: s03 Mangeamour | Heart Hunter (Battle of the Miraculous Part 1), Episode: s03 Miracle Queen (The Battle of the Miraculous Part 2), Gen, Hive Mind, Light Angst, Mind Control, Mouse Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Multimouse, One Shot Collection, Sarcasm, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:35:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 31,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25953844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avra/pseuds/Avra
Summary: What if during Miracle Queen, Marinette got stung before jumping into the Seine ?Miracle Queen is an episode that had a lot of potential. There are so much possibilities during this fight. And that's why it's the begining of the what if this or that happenned instead.Those chapters are different « what if ».
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 9
Kudos: 94





	1. The begining of the « what if... ? »

**Author's Note:**

> Miracle Queen is for me that typical episode where you see that nothing changed. Things that happenned in the first episode happen again, just a little bit different than before. Mentalities and personalities are still the same. Chloe is still Chloe, Marinette does a big mistake as Ladybug while she doesn't want to do something as a hero, Chat Noir tries to reassure Ladybug, Hawkmoth has some advantage.

« Watch out ! »

Everything went too fast. For a few seconds, Marinette could only saw blue. Luka had spun her around, hugging her tight while protecting her from the tiny projectiles that were flying in their direction. Then, she heard him gasp, when one of those tiny things got under his clothes. Even if she called his name, Luka wasn't responding and his eyes turned yellow like any other victim around. His harms let go of Marinette's body and Luka straightened, like a robot that was waiting for their next order.

« Oh no ! It started again! »

Instincts striked and Marinette ran away. She only dared to look back at the entrance of the park's entrance, Luka was still there, unmoving. Before she did a turn in hope to lost what she recognized as bee shapes sentinels, she oppened her little bag, revealing Tikki inside.

« Tikki ! We have to find somewhere to hide !»

Marinette took her box of little magicaroons and choose the green one. The ladybug holder knew that water was the weakness of bee related akumas. If what happened during Queen Wasp was any indicator, she needed to find a way to be submerged into water. Good thing that Paris has the Seine and she could run for it. Throwing the macaron into the air for helping Tikki gulping it faster, she puts the little box back into her pulse, hoping that it didn't slow her down too much. Maybe it was her luck that was failling again today since she could heard the buzzing of the sentinels a little bit too close for comfort.

Tikki's big blue eyes widened as she watched helplessly her holder being stung by a bee sentinel. Like Luka, some of those things controled at distance was far ahead of the rest of the troup that flought in group behind Marinette. One moment the young girl felt a pinch a pain on her back, and the next everything goes blank. Although she could still feel the floor beneeth her feet, see the streets of Paris that she loved so much, everything seemed more gray and inaportant. She didn't want to panic, or try to call for help, her mind telling her that it was impossible. It wasn't like she was at peace, or without worry for what was coming next. Marinette, the pigtailed girl with black earings and yellow eyes only felt... Hollow.

While her holder stopped brutally on the sidewalk, the ladybug kwami started to panic. It wasn't the first time that one of her ladybugs was compromised but it was still painful to watch. The miraculous team this time around didn't have a choice anymore. They had to think about another solution without including Ladybug.


	2. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir fighting alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only choose to think around the fact that Marinette got stung, not Adrien. Not because I don't want to see him controled by a willingly akumatized Chloé but because I don't want to see him controled yet again by a akuma while Ladybug saves the day. It's good to know that the main girl protagonist can be strong and fight alone, but the pressure of knowing that no matter what, everything is on that protagonist's shoulders because she *musn't* be compromised is too hard. No wonder a lot of people think that Adrien would think of himself as a sidekick when he's not represented as someone that can control the situation alone, even when they switch miraculous.
> 
> Roi Singe is the name of Kim when he transforms. I kept the French version. In French, other heroes names are the same as the English version, except some little changes. Hawkmoth is called « le Papillon » (the butterfly) but since Hawkmoth sounds more like a villain name than « butterfly », I kept the English version.
> 
> This chapter is my favorite of all of the chapters that I wrote for this story. Working on the idea of Chat fighting alone, trying to find the right words to describe fighting moves, all of that was really funny to do.

Tikki stayed in the pink purse for ten long seconds. She tried to see if her holder could react by calling her name or flying in front of her face but nothing worked. After some time thinking, Tikki darted back into the purse. She didn't know what powers controlled Marinette ! Maybe it just made people stop moving but there were high possibilities that people controlled by the akuma turned into its servants and were ordered around. What if the akuma could see through their slaves’ eyes ? It could be a disaster if they saw Tikki near someone in particular. After all, their enemies could connect the dots and assume who Ladybug was. The little kwami looked back at Marinette. No matter the akuma's power, Ladybug was compromised. It was the first time in this timeline that it happened. Would they succeed this time ? The kwami put her tiny arms near her body, her eyes flaming with determination. She had faith in Plagg's kitten ! Even if there were high chances that she was the last uncontrolled person in all of Paris, Tikki didn't have another choice than to believe everything would be fine. But first, she had to take care of some things. First, Tikki flew away from the purse again, and hovered near her bug. With her tiny paws, Tikki took the earrings before going near the Seine to jump into it. Since Marinette didn't reject her, she could still be present in this realm and she would make the most of it. Chat Noir wasn't dumb and the duo of heroes already dealt with bee related akumas. He would know what he needed to do. Tikki had to find him, inside this greenish water. Therefore, as the god of luck and creation, she was pretty confident that she could do it.

**

He couldn't do it. Chat Noir worried he would never find Ladybug. Surely he would have found her now ! The part of the river that went through Paris was only 13 kilometers long (8 miles), its depth around 3,40 and 5,70 meters ( around 11,1549 foot and 18,7 foot) ! He should have already seen a red blur since he jumped into the water ! Alas, Chat Noir continued to look around, swimming. He believed in his lady, she should be safe. He had looked at his baton, trying to find her, but the ladybug dot on his screen didn't appear. Was she not transformed yet ? The young boy could only wish that everything was alright. Then, hope started to bubble again inside his chest when he saw something red in the distance. At first he thought that it was her because even if the red thing appeared very small, he was quite far away from it. Although when he got closer, it didn't seem much bigger. He didn't know if he should be happy to find out that it was Tikki. He spluttered and did a lot of bubbles when he discovered that the kwami was holding some earrings. Chat Noir couldn't even recognize his own voice, distorted by the flood of emotions that he felt at the same time.

« Where's Ladybug ? »

The sad look Tikki gave him didn't make things better. Although she didn't say anything yet, he knew what horrific words were going to come from her mouth. Something... That he wished never happened, something that in fact, he couldn't believe will come true one day.

« Ladybug is compromised, Chat Noir. »

«... How ? How could that even happen ? Ladybug has never been taken down before ! »

« There is always a first time for everything. I wished it didn't happen, but luck can't always have my holder's back. A bee sentinel stung her before she could jump into the Seine. I had to take the earrings. Who knows what would have happened since the akuma controls Parisians, her included. »

« But how could we- _I_ \- will be able to win this time ? I can't cast the cure, and... » Chat Noir took the earrings from Tikki, clutching them into his palms. « Do you want me to be Mister Bug again ? »

Chat Noir cringed at the memory of being Mister Bug. Even if the Lucky Charm was something that matched his logic and how he planned things, he didn't even understand how to use it. This time around, there won't be his lady in that cute cat version telling him how to use his power. No wonder people on the internet thought that he was Ladybug's sidekick and happy to be called and thought of that way.

« No. » Tikki assured with a smile, even if there was something definite in this one word. « No, you shouldn 't. You are already transformed into Chat Noir, you can't wear the earrings too. Just put them into one of your pockets, do not show that you have them. Having one of the two main miraculous holders keeping both the ladybug and cat miraculous on him is already dangerous enough as it is. »

«... Why ? Because Hawkmoth just has to win against one person and not two ? »

At these words, Tikki frowned before her face changed into one of worry, concern, and then pity. The more Chat Noir talked with Tikki, the more he thought that, once again, someone was hiding something from him. Important information, like the first time power-ups were introduced to him, were hidden from him. However, something was telling him that he would have answers this time, without threatening to take his ring off. They didn't have time for elusive answers and waiting for him to be finally worthy of any new data.

« No one told you. » It wasn't a question, but an affirmation. Tikki could only sigh. For a guardian that talked about balance in the world for decades, not giving this basic data to one of the two heroes could only add distortion into the relationship of the duo. After all, the reason why their enemy wanted their miraculous was important in order to understand the whole situation. Maybe if Chat Noir knew from the get go how dangerous it could be, he would have been a bit more serious, for a thirteen years old boy with a crush.

« No... ? » The little voice of Chat Noir, full of insecurities distracted Tikki from her thoughts.

« The reason why you cannot hold both the ladybug and cat miraculous at the same time is also the reason why we have to fight Hawkmoth. » The little goddess said, knowing that she had Chat's attention just by looking at his cat ears that turned in her direction. « By merging both miraculous, the holder has the power to grant one wish that will change the universe. No matter how noble the wish is, there will be uncontrolled repercussions. The balance can't be broken and nothing can be created without something at its base and destruction as balance. Which means... »

« That there is a price to pay for each wish. » Chat Noir concluded, his eyes wide. « That's why it's so important to prevent Hawkmoth from getting those miraculous. It was already scary to know that someone in Paris wanted to have four miraculous in their possession, it was now even scarier. He could wish for anything and we would have to pay the price somehow. »

With a new grasp on everything, Chat Noir put the earrings inside one of his many pockets, making sure that they couldn't fall out of it. He knew now that, for the first time, he was alone in this. It was a new responsibility : being the protector not only of the cat miraculous but the ladybug miraculous too. For once, Chat Noir didn't know what to do.

« So... What's next ? Even if I try to fight the akuma alone, I still can't go out of the Seine. The power-up helps me breathe, swim and talk in water but it won't protect me from those sentinels outside, waiting for me to go to the surface ! The moment I'm not surrounded by water anymore, they can hit me in the face or the part of my neck that isn't covered ! »

« Surrounded by water... ? » Tikki repeated, mumbling as she started to think about a way to solve this problem. « Of course ! You need a place where you can fight without sentinels flying around ! Like a water bubble ! I'm going back, stay here ! »

« Wait ! »

It was too late, the kwami was already gone. She swam towards the surface. Chat Noir knew that he couldn't do anything yet, so he decided to obey and wait. No longer than five minutes later, Tikki was back as promised, holding something new.

« The dragon miraculous ? » The boy asked before he connected the dots. « Right ! I could fusion the cat and the dragon miraculous to create a safe bubble around me ! Great idea Tikki ! »

« Like this, when Mister Bug will be needed, you can detransform as Chat Noir and fusion as Dragon Bug. Like Plagg, it is unwise to let me use my power without a holder or the transfomation itself. »

« Everything is fine and all but... How am I supposed to do all of this ? I couldn't be Mister Bug without the guidance of Ladybug and even when one of us had to fight alone, in the end it was always Ladybug, not me ! I'm the guy who got controlled by an akuma that spread perfume to create slaves because I couldn't stand someone in the car who smelt like fish for ten minutes ! I'm the one that stayed in the dark for some time because Master Fu didn't trust me enough to meet him like he did with Ladybug ! I can't ! I can't do this alone ! »

Maybe Tikki was just a kwami, but she also was a goddess that has lived since the beginning of this plane. Failures and mistakes, along with victories allowed humans to improve. Chat Noir wasn't the type of person that talked about his failures out loud, Copy Cat was an example. However, it seemed that this new situation had awoken something in him. Tikki only reassured, chastised and asked if people were okay but she could also cheer people up. If Plagg was right, Adrien was expected to be perfect every second of his life the moment he went out of his room, so failure wasn't an option. This time around, it was Tikki who had to convince him, not letting him stop. She did it with Marinette multiple times, sometimes about her lovelife, and if she did it with Marinette, it was possible with Adrien as well.

« Chat Noir. You had been a hero for two years » Tikki started. « You fought numerous akumas, people that you knew, protected your partner, had to control your emotions... And yet you're still here, standing. Be proud of yourself. You are Chat Noir, not Ladybug's sidekick but one of the two protectors of Paris. Don't you think that Ladybug is scared too sometimes ? You and her are still children, humans. It's perfectly normal to make mistakes and be scared. Don't focus on your insecurities, we need a focused Chat Noir for this. »

« Ok... Ok ! I'm going to do this! » Chat Noir screamed, tightening his hands into fists.

The young man put the dragon miraculous on his neck. His suit got a red hue on the black of the fake leather, spikes escalated from the back of his neck to his tail that transformed from a belt to a larger fabric. As for the design of green paws on the back of his boots, they were replaced by clawed yellow paws. When the boy opened his green eyes with split red pupils, he stood proud and tall. He was now Dragon Noir. And he was going to save everyone.

***

Meanwhile, the Trocadéro was once again, the scene of a future fight between a terrorist, his helpers and heroes. However, this time, Hawkmoth was confident that destiny was on his side. To do so he had planned to break Chloe Bourgeois and he couldn't stop but smile at the simplicity of it. While luring out every temporary hero wasn't what he thought would happen, it was still a pleasant surprise. In a way, he still thought it made sense. An akuma that was displeased by not being a hero because of their not so secret identity was expected to try to reveal others’ identities. The villain looked at a bunch of teenagers walking and bowing in front of Miracle Queen. Just a glance at the selected group of young people and the queen was already mad.

« No way ! Max the nerd, the fake journalist, DJ headaches ?! Why did you choose those losers to make them superheroes, Ladybug ? » Miracle Queen sneered, before looking at who came next. « Oh ! Kim the idiot ! Okay, if I understand correctly, the first loser that comes can have a miraculous ?... And him ? I don't know him. He's cute, too bad that his outfit came from a pile of garbage. Oh no, not them ! The fencing maniac and the goody-two-shoes of a baker ! This is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous ! Any-ways ! Take your miraculous ! »

Miracle Queen opened the Miraculous Box, revealing precious miraculous inside. One by one, every teenager took a miraculous inside the box before going back to their place in front of their queen. However, Nino and Kagami stayed in front of the box, still.

« Why don't they take one ? » Hawkmoth asked, not expecting an answer.

« It may be because the miraculous of idiot and pretentious doesn't exist ! » The akuma said.

« Or maybe it's because those miraculous are already used by someone else. » The man mused.

« Well ! Transform, soldiers ! »

The soldiers mumbled their magical phrases to transform to Rena Rouge, Pegasus, Viperion, Roi Singe and Multimouse. Their next order came quickly, and they became the akuma’s royal guard. While a transformed Master Fu, staying in a shelter had to endure looking at Hawkmoth and Mayura being dramatic on a rooftop, Chat Noir looked at the akuma with his baton, still in the water. He planned, and planned, to make sure that every opponent and possibilities were taken seriously. Something twitched in the wrong way inside of him when he saw Multimouse. He didn't see when everyone transformed but he knew who was behind the masks of Viperion and Multimouse. He didn't have the chance to spend a lot of time with Luka but he knew that he was a caring guy, that preferred music rather than words to express himself. He was certainly a better snake than him, making him a powerful opponent. However, if he had to fear someone, it had to be his sweet, bubbly good friend Marinette. Even now, he didn't know if the plan behind beating Kwamibuster was Ladybug's, Multimouse's or even both of those wonderful girls’ plan. Fighting seven superpowered humans was already difficult but if he also had to look at small versions of one... With a shake of his head, he finally jumped from the Seine, creating a bubble of water around him. The abnormal jump allowed him to miraculously arrive on the center of the Trocadéro.

At his arrival, everyone turned to look at him. Miracle Queen, projected away by the expansion of the water, tried to tear off the barrier, sneering Chat Noir's name. Hawkmoth was frowning from the end of the roof where he stood, Mayura behind him. When he talked, everyone could hear the sound of the amock hitting the ball of green light that protected Fu.

« Chat Noir, alone ? Where's Ladybug ? »

« It's Dragon Noir, now. Ladybug doesn't need to be called to kick your butt and your akuma's, Hawkmoth. »

« A few more powers won't help you win, child, especially if you are alone. In a few minutes, when the old guardian cannot summon his shield anymore, I will force him to reveal all secret identities, yours and Ladybug’s as well ! That girl was what ruined all of you ! »

« No ! » Master Fu screamed, still shocked. He wasn't a fool, a Ladybug that wasn't here to fight an akuma meant that she got compromised. « Don't listen to him ! I didn't choose you randomly ! Stay strong ! »

« Even if I'm alone this time, it doesn't mean that I won't beat you ! It's the end for you, Hawkmoth ! » Dragon Noir shouted, a devilish smile on his face.

« What oblivious boy ! » The villain yelled before looking down at his akuma. Maybe he wouldn’t get the earrings soon but a victory was still a victory in his book. Half of the prize was enough. « My Queen, it is time to take action. »

With a shout of the akuma, every royal guard stepped forward, calling for their powers, Dragon Noir did the same. The hero didn't know how much time the last five minutes were rewinded, however, he still had to surprise Viperion first to take his miraculous. When Viperion had each of his wrists inside his hands, Dragon Noir took the opportunity to reach his enemy's hand. With a furtive move of his fingers, he took the bracelet, revealing Luka behind the mask. Dragon Noir knew that Viperion was the first one to stop since he could go back in time to get the upper hand. The others were slowly walking near them, preparing to attack as well. Dragon Noir didn't give them the chance, clipping the bracelet on his wrist.

« If Multimouse can do it, I can too. » Dragon Noir mumbled, adding the snake miraculous to the fusion. He was going to be exhausted after the fight but it was worth it. Paris was worth it, the security of the miraculous was too. Now, he knew.

« Catch him ! You're a bunch of incompetents if you lose ! » Miracle Queen ordered.

« Second Chance ! »

With that Dragon Noir, now Reptile Noir had to take down the others. He didn't marvel at the new changes on his suit but the tips of his hair had turned green and he had fangs more elongated than before. He was ready to use the power of the snake, no matter how much he had to go back in time. He already did it with Desperada, he could do it once again. His determination flared, dodging Roi Singe and Pegasus. He thought that before Pegasus controlled his fall and went back to fight, he had to fight Rena Rouge. Sure enough, she held her flute high in the air, prepared to hit. Muscle memories from hours of fencing made it easier for Reptile Noir. He blocked the attack with his sword, now a complex pattern of green, black and gold swirls embedded into the hilt. Reptile felt something hit his head, making him lose his grip on the sword. A little dazed, he was still able to touch the snake bracelet, calling Second Chance before Rena's flute finished its path towards him. After repeating his actions one more time, Reptile Noir stopped Rena's attack, and dared to look back at Pegasus to make sure he didn't hit him. However, his assumptions were wrong since it wasn't Pegasus that was walking towards him but two copies of Rena Rouge.

« It's an illusion... ! » Reptile Noir wispered-screamed, before going back to the fight.

He placed his sword diagonally in front of him, making the flute slide the length of the sword. The flute finalized its fall by hitting the floor, making Rena Rouge tumble on her side. Multiple attackers came rushing at him, surrounded him. With a big turn, Reptile Noir moved in a circle, hitting each assailant. Some of them turned into a pile of orange dust, the others were pushed into the water field. The first one to snap out of his stupor was Roi Singe, who launched at him. With a kick, Reptile Noir made Roi Singe fall into the floor, before he clawed back the Monkey Miraculous. He almost didn't have the time to put the miraculous into one of his pockets before dodging yet another attack. The hero tried to run at Rena Rouge to take her miraculous too but Pegasus opened a portal, making him slide inside of it. Free falling, Reptile couldn't stop screaming, watching the panonamic view of Paris, way, way too high into the sky to make sure that he landed safely. After another Second Chance, Reptile decided to not take the monkey miraculous away, taking the horse miraculous instead when Pegasus leaped at him the first time. Pegasus could transport him anywhere with a portal, could even summon a small portal to discreetly take his miraculous. Roi Singe, however, was crucial for the plan that started to take shape into his head. A little bit of monkey wrench could benefit him. Suddenly, when everyone was groaning because they were projected into the barrier, Reptile felt something, or more like things crawling on him. He gaped when he saw multiple mice persons near his miraculous. His hand where he had the cat and snake miraculous on was wrapped by three Multimouse while five of them were on his neck and back. He took every Multimouse one by one away from him, letting them fall far away. Now that he knew where some of them were, he didn't want to miss where the little army was anymore.

« Sorry, little mouse. But the only jewelry that I will give to a girl is a ring when I will propose to Ladybug. » Reptile said, winking. He frowned when the united Moultimouse snorted, like she was laughing at the irony of something that he couldn't get.

He didn't have the time to muse about what Multimouse thought, Roi Singe attacked again. Reptile jumped at Roi Singe, taking his wrist when he held the frog plushie. With quick moves, he waited for an opening to take Roi Singe's baton and throw it at Miracle Queen. The akuma slightly moved her head, stopping the baton with one hand.

« You really thought that it could... » Miracle Queen laughed before being interrupted by the plush hitting her spinning top, transforming it into a disco ball.

The bee sentinels turned into yellow sparkles. Taking advantage of the shocked akuma, Reptile Noir ran at her and cataclysmed her akuma object. Every person controlled by the akuma straightened, Reptile Noir separating himself from the dragon and snake miraculous one by one, only living Chat Noir standing. The teenager looked around, searching for Tikki. Without no one noticing her, the kwami took away the akuma that tried to escape. On another roof, Tikki pushed a little bit of her energy into her paws, making the butterfly turn white. Chloe turned into the normal version of Queen Bee. Chat Noir smirked.

« I told you so, I will beat you today Hawkmoth. »

The villain only laughed, releasing another purple butterfly into the air. Was it because he had prepared another akuma that the man stayed in stand-by, watching everything ? To be there, on this rooftop when the guardian didn't have the strength to fight back anymore ? It wasn’t only because he was a coward, Chat Noir thought. Yes, the man only used slaves controlled because of their emotions to do the dirty work. Yes, it was mainly the scenario of every battle but the man was strong. The only time they fought him, hand in hand, he almost won. If he was fighting alongside the royal guard instead, Chat Noir wasn't sure he could have won. His musing was stopped when the akuma flew near them. To his horror, Queen Bee started to jump, trying to get her hands on the butterfly. A red blur passed, taking yet another time the akuma away. Queen Bee didn't hear anything that came from Chat Noir's mouth, declaring herself his enemy. She opened the Miracle Box, taking each and every miraculous inside of it to put them on herself. An hilarious moment later when kwamis didn't want to work with the akuma, a monologue from Hawkmoth, and Fu started to announce his final order as the guardian.

« Ladybug and Chat Noir are heroes that I am sure will win. I have faith in them. I know that Ladybug isn't there right now. But she miraculously fixed every mistake she made. Even if it wasn't her mistake in the first place. » Fu said before turning to Chat Noir. He knew that for this timeline, he couldn't just talk about how wonderful Ladybug was. « Chat Noir, thank you for fighting the akuma alone. I know it can be hard to fight without a partner to watch your back. Thank you for trying to save me. But this old man can't do more. And I know that Ladybug will be a great guardian. » Kwamis cried, refusing to let him go. « Me, Wang Fu, renounce the Miracle Box and announce Ladybug as the new guardian ! »

The shell-ter broke into little fragments, Fu falling on the rooftop. The Miracle Box floated into the air, changing from the traditional shape to a weird red and black egg on which each spot could change into a different colour. Before Queen Bee took the fallen Box, Chat Noir jumped into the air, keeping the Box near him when he rolled on the floor. It would have been weird that every miraculous normally protected by the box and not already infused inside a transformation weren't inside the box during the transition between the old and new guardian. Therefore, every miraculous, from the turtle one to each that Queen Bee had on her without transfomating with, turned back inside the red egg. Queen Bee stamped her foot on the floor, angry about how everything turned bad for her.

« No ! It's _MY_ Miracle Box ! Mine ! _I_ am the guardian, I am the queen ! Hawkmoth ! Go and tell them that it's mine ! »

Hawkmoth only grunted, taking Mayura with him and jumped into the amock's back, flying away.

« Urg ! You suck ! » Queen Bee pouted before looking at Chat Noir, pointing at him. « You suck ! Paris sucks ! I'm going to New York with mama and I'm gonna be the only and unique Queen Bee in town ! And I will save the world alone ! Without you or Ladybug ! »

« I'm so, so sorry Chloe. I'm going to take this too. » Chat Noir said, with sad kitty eyes. « I really thought that you could be nicer if you had the possibility to be a hero. To stop being mean sometimes, making the real Chloe shine again. But... »

« Well if it's the case, I hate you all, especially you and Ladybug ! I'm not her fan anymore ! You all don't deserve to breathe the same air as me ! »

Chat Noir looked sadly at Chloe’s silhouette running away. When she was only a shadow in the streets of Paris, the boy jumped on the roof where Fu laid. After a few calls, Fu awoke, confused. If the previous master was complimenting his suit wasn't a big give away, Fu asking who he was made Chat Noir understand that Fu lost his memory. The turtle kwami stayed silent, not wanting to reveal that there was a third entity on that roof, revealing as well the existence of kwami to someone that lost his memory because of this knowledge.

« Don't worry, I'm a friend. I'm going to take you on the ground level, sir. » Chat Noir said, trying to smile. Every hope to give the old man his memories back were blown away when the cure passed around them by Tikki's order.

Fu tried to find something on him to remember his name or anything at all. He only found a key linked to a keychain shaped like a train. He gave it away to Chat Noir, saying that it was a reminder of him, and since he couldn't remember what the key could unlock it wasn't special for him anymore. As he said before, Chat Noir took Fu on the stairs of the Trocadéro, surrounded by the other holders. Chat Noir explained the situation, that each temporary hero was revealed to Hawkmoth. Not making things worse, he took each person privately to retrieve each vacant miraculous. When it was finally Marinette's turn, everyone was already gone. Marinette didn’t want to reveal that she knew too much, so she asked in a quiet voice :

« Why was the old man that had a parlour in the middle of an akuma attack ? »

« Do you know him ? » Chat Noir asked with suspicion.

« Well yes. He helped me a lot with meditation, trying to stop my panic spirals. He sold tea too and sometimes I had to go there to buy stuff for my mother. Do you... Do you want me to take him to his house ? »

« Yeah... Yeah, it could be great. Thanks Marinette. » The boy answered. He didn't know where he lived and was happy to know that someone could bring him somewhere safe.

When everyone was away, that almost everything went back to normal, Chat Noir let himself loosen his shoulders, and sat on the floor. Waves of exhaustion made him breathe like he just finished a very, very long marathon. Taking the Miracle Box with him, he forced himself to jump from rooftop to rooftop in the direction of the mansion. Falling head first into his bed, turning once again into Adrien, the young boy wished to sleep for a month straight. However, he knew that it was only a dream and vowed that tonight, he had to meet his lady. Things had to be explained, from when she got compromised to how the fight went, to give her the Box and so forth. A lot of things had to be said and done. And Adrien knew that to stop Hawkmoth, those talks, plans and actions had to happen. And fast.

* * *

**I have problems showing my drawings directly here, if you wanted to see a drawing of Chat Noir as well as how he looks like with the fusion chat/dragon... But even the link for my instagram account didn't work either ! I thought I could just add my drawings without showing my crappy accounts... Oh well. I have to use another way.**

**Here a link for** [Dragon Noir](https://www.deviantart.com/avramea01/art/Dragon-Noir-854061432)

 **And another for just** [Chat Noir](https://www.deviantart.com/avramea01/art/Chat-Noir-854060677)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I say to myself : « It's been a while since I write something. I should ask for someone to read what I wrote », or « I'm sure that I make a lot of grammar mistakes, English it's not my native language and we all skip some words and what not. ».  
> But then, you have to find someone willing to do that, without changing all of your work. So thank you my dear beta reader !
> 
> Also, I didn't use the « I sent you near the sun with one of my portals » because it didn't feel right. How could he screams and be that near ? Yes, he has a super suit but he still screamed, did Second Change and took a deep break after that. The deep breath was a bit too late, buddy. 
> 
> Thank you for reading this so far !


	3. He knows, she fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Identity reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Beta Reader gave me the ok for one of the chapters that I sent her so here we go ! I used that time to draw some transformations that will appear in this story. I'm still not happy with one of them though, so I might change it in the future if I find something better. 
> 
> This chapter is an alternative of what happened in the beginning of chapter Alone. Tikki went to the surface of the Seine to retrieve the dragon miraculous from a controlled Marinette.  
> In Chat's mind we go. Might as well say that I got a bit far with this one. People seem to go a little over the top and haphazard in this type of situation.

Chat Noir started to panic. He was safe now, in the Seine and yet he felt like everything was horrible. Ladybug was compromised, he was alone, he couldn't call for help from temporary holders since he didn't know how to retrieve miraculous or even who were behind those masks. Even if he did take the right miraculous to the right person by some kind of miracle, there were high chances that they were already controlled by the akuma. It was in time like these, that Chat Noir felt useless, just like a plant that was here as a decoration. With a dejected sigh, Chat Noir looked back at Tikki. It was so strange to look at those big, blue eyes instead of those that he was familiar with. Maybe like him, those bluebell eyes that he dreamt about were because of her kwami's eyes ? No, he had green eyes when he was Mister Bug so he could still dream of those beautiful eyes and identify them as his lady's color.

« So... What's next ? Even if I try to fight the akuma alone, I still can't go out of the Seine. The power-up helps me breathe, swim and talk inside the water but it won't protect me from those sentinels outside waiting for me to go to the surface ! The moment I'm not surrounded by water, they can hit me in the face or the part of my neck that isn't covered ! »

« Surrounded by water... ? » Tikki repeated, mumbling the end when she started to think about a way to solve this problem. « Of course ! You need to have a place where you can fight without those sentinels flying around ! Like a bubble of water ! I'm going back, stay here ! »

« Wait ! »

It was already too late, the kwami was already gone. She swam to come back at the surface. Chat started to fidget, not knowing what to do. The surface was dangerous, even for Tikki. If humans were targeted, who knew if everything that moved was also a target. What if Tikki was stung too ? Besides, what did the kwami decided so fast that she had to go away like that ? Deciding to not stay put, Chat Noir swam into the direction Tikki took. If he learnt something from being Chat Noir, it was that sometimes, he could disobey orders, since he was a free boy. He was worried about Tikki, she didn't explain what she was going to do so he couldn't feel guilty about moving on his own, searching for her. When he was nearly at the surface, the hero saw that sentinels were hovering near a pond and the streets, like guards prepared to fire the moment they saw something move. Chat Noir gulped, before letting his head outside the water silently. First, he watched the sentinels around flying on standby, not moving much. He wasn't safe per say, but he felt that some of the tension in his shoulders relaxed a little.Then, he caught a red blur near. His eyes followed the red blob until it disappeared into a pink purse. Without really thinking about the consequences, he looked up from those so long legs in a tight pink jean, from this white shirt under a dark grey jacket, to a face. Chat Noir slowly blinked a few times, taking in all of the girl's face's details that he could see. A heart shaped face, adorable little freckles, big yellow eyes that he wished were the color of bluebell like usual, a fringe a little bit on the side that covered her forehead, dark hair styled into pigtails that shined blue in the light. A face so familiar. After awakening from his daydream, he decided to go back entirely inside the water. _It wasn't safe_ , said something inside his mind, _why on earth did you endanger yourself like that?_ continued the little voice while Chat Noir swam deeper and deeper into the water to go back where he was before. A sea of thoughts were sinking his mind. The boy stilled, wide eyes looking at nothing in particular, the environment around him blurring into nothingness.

Did he see it right ? There was no way it wasn't Marinette and someone else that he saw Tikki flew nearby. It was just for a few seconds but he was sure he could recognize his friend everywhere ! Why would _Marinette_ of all people have the Dragon Miraculous ? So far, only Master Fu and Ladybug had access to the box. Was she some sort of delivery girl for miraculous ? Like some sort of backstage hero that had to take a miraculous from Ladybug or Fu, find the temporary hero, give the miraculous and escape afterwards ? No, it didn't feel right. Beside, some of those temporary heroes did say that it was Ladybug _herself_ that gave them their miraculous and she always had to hide with them to retrieve the miraculous. Besides, this delivery theory meant that Marinette knew everyone's - or at least a part of – identities ! That was already bad that two people knew that much, so a third person, especially her, was worrisome.

Then maybe... She was asked to be the dragon holder for this fight before Ladybug got stung ? Marinette was a cool, strategic girl in a miraculous suit, if Kwamibuster wasn't any indication. She was a great hero, matching how Ladybug thought, back then. Sometimes he even wondered how long it would take to see the fallout of Hawkmoth if those two girls fought together with him. But then again, why Ladybug didn't just let Kagami with the dragon miraculous ? Maybe it was because she couldn't predict that another akuma would have attacked so soon. She could have just found Kagami and gave her the miraculous then. If Marinette was near the Seine, and so did they before the attack, it wouldn't be a stretch. But then again, if Ladybug had searched Kagami at that moment she would have seen... No. No Marinette didn't have the dragon miraculous because she needed to transform. Tikki would at least give them a hint that he wasn't alone in this if this was true. She saw how scared he was to be alone in this, and even if everything related to miraculous was very secretive in his eyes, she had to at least say that he had a partner for this fight. Without giving names or what miraculous was used, just a little wink and a _hey, by the way you don't need to panic like a drama queen, you got someone to help you in this. Just wait a little and they will find you in this polluted water !_... Yeah no, Tikki didn't sound like that. Chat Noir knew that he had every puzzle pieces. He just needed to put them together. One thing that he thought was possible before came into his mind once again, like someone slapping his face while calling him an idiot.

What if... Marinette was Ladybug ?

He suspected before that they were the same person. Two wonderful girls in one. However, everytime something stopped him from investigating further. The fact that Marinette was always shy with him while Ladybug radiated confidence, or that their secret identities had to stay like that between them, that Plagg asked him to stop thinking... And yet, there were explanations for that. Ladybug was shy and clumsy the first time they met and Marinette had times when she was sure of herself like during Darkblade. As for Plagg, he didn't want him to discover Marinette's secret. If so, he would have to give back his miraculous. Adrien would have lost a part of him while Plagg would have to go back in the box, without his cheese, and him around. And that, neither of them wanted it. With the possibility that Marinette was really Ladybug and no one to stop him from thinking about it, everything made sense. How he was shocked to notice that they were so similar when compared to each other. Why she was seen near akuma battles. Why she was always running away from everyone or seen alone at the start of a battle, certainly to find a place to transform. Why she always wore those plain, black earrings that was the same that the detransfromed state of Ladybug's earrings during the battle when they swapped miraculous. Why he was always mesmerized by her eyes, no matter what part of her was in front of him. Why she did an interview with Alya of all people in order to boost her friend's career and blog's popularity. Why talking with her as Chat Noir felt more than just him talking with a friend.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug.

Oh, a lot of things made sense. How come he didn't see this before ? Yes, he did try to put the pieces together before but it never went that far, making it so real and so right ! Then... How did she... Why did she reveal herself as Multimouse ? And how... ? The image of Rena Rouge during the Sapotis battle passed through his mind. Of course, she would use multiple miraculous to create an elaborate plan in order to protect her secret identity. And him, who just needed to say that he thought that their middle school was a primary school... Still. He would need to have a talk with her about using too much miraculous at the same time. She had to exhaust herself to the bones for that plan ! Other memories were recalled, like an old movie that went backward. The fact that she was already in the train with their class and didn't used the horse miraculous, her shyness that appeared sometimes when she crossed path with Adrien when she was Ladybug, when he flirted with both side of her without doing it with anybody else, Plagg that hinted multiple time that Marinette was more than a friend, trying to push him at Ladybug's civilian self...

Wait.

If Marinette was Ladybug and vice versa... He rejected Ladybug for Ladybug when she declared that she loved him on her balcony ! He could have said yes, and her father wouldn't... Oh no, he was the reason Ladybug's father got akumatized. Still, why would she declared her love for him at that time ? She refused every confession that he made before and after that event so why did she say that, that night ? Did that mean that one time, she was starting to love him and was trying to deny those feelings before she couldn't control herself and expressed them out loud ?! Did he still have a chance as Chat Noir since she was uncomfortable with Adrien sometimes ? Those hopes crashed with two elements that he recalled. The first was that when he came on her balcony that night, she seemed panicked and blurted something quicky before he finished to talk. With the vision of Marinette being Ladybug, he supposed that she just detransfromed when he arrived and she said the first thing that came to her mind to distract him from the possible identity reveal. She didn't see him the way he saw Ladybug and said it multiple times. The second element was that other guy that she was interesed in. Now that he knew who was under the mask, he only needed to find someone that was in their circle of friends to find that guy.

Sometimes he had thought that she was interested in him. He wasn't _that_ blind. There were some times, between the jumble of words that she said and meetings with his three friends that made him wonder. Did Marinette like him ? Those pictures on her walls were _at least_ showing that she had a celebrity crush on him. People often asked him if she or he was interested in each other and he had to recall that they were only friends. Moreover, that so - so cringy moment at the museum seemed a little too excessive for being just an act to prank him back. Nevertheless, every time he asked her, she denied any feeling for him, in her messy-kinda-cute way. So no, that guy wasn't him. How could she be in love with someone if she was uncomfortable being alone with them, thinking that every word and movement could destroy her chance for them to be together ? But then, who... ? Was it Luka ? They did look like a cute couple when they met with them at the Liberty. And he was pretty sure that Luka confessed to Marinette. So... What stopped them from being together ? If she loved him and he loved her back, there weren't any problems, no one-side feelings to block any relationship. It wasn't like him who had to think twice before starting a relationship with anyone. Even if we forgot about the fact that his heart belonged to Ladybug for so long, just by being his civilian self alone created so many problems. The blessing of his father, his filled schedule, his fans that would be akumatized by jalousy, paparazzis... When we added Chat Noir to the mix, that also meant lame excuses to stop a date during akuma attacks, lying and hiding a secret identity to someone you want to live your life with, being scared that any moment Hawkmoth would take that person hostage to have leverage against him... When he started to think about it, romantic relationships with anyone were too dangerous. If they revealed themselves to each other it could be less difficult since they knew where the other would be during an akuma attack and no lame excuse would have to be found. And yet, any weakness could be used by Hawkmoth. Chat Noir didn't know who was behind the mask of temporary heroes but he saw how Rena Rouge and Carapace acted around each other. They were certainly a couple. Everybody knew how they acted during Heroes Day and how that battle turned. Was it why Marinette didn't start something with Luka ?

… He didn't have a chance to begin with, huh ?

That is to say, he didn't want to confess to Marinette just because he loved Ladybug. He wasn't a jerk. It wasn't like he just realized that she was amazing. He knew and always have known. Marinette had always been that cute, bubbly, shy girl that he hoped was still his friend although she was so nervous around him. She was one of his first friends that he had obtained in school and he wanted to cherish that link between them. Not only Marinette never was in his love radar but also it sounded and looked so horrible to start a relationship with her just because she sometimes wore a red and black suit. Yes, they were the same girl but he didn't know that before and that didn't stop him from not being interested. It wasn't like he never tried to move on to someone else. He was weak for girls that were confident, intelligent and kind to people that they loved. He _had_ asked Kagami out for a date before. Oh no, he asked Ladybug for advice for a date with Kagami. _And_ took her for what he assumed was a double date. By not looking at Marinette, he erased a way, and the easier way no less, to be with Ladybug. To be with a girl that was so kind, so cute, so dedicated to her dreams, her friends and family.

Deep inside him, he still hoped that she didn't start a relationship with Luka because he wasn't the guy that she mentioned before. That the famous guy was him, maybe as Adrien. That he still had a chance to woo her, making it mean his words when he called her _his lady_. That someway, one day, that she called him hers, too. By being closer to Marinette first, making her less nervous around him, maybe asking what he could do to make her more comfortable. Maybe thinking if he could love Marinette too, making her finally exist in his love radar, thinking about the possibility to be with the girl behind the mask.That -

« Chat Noir ?... Chat Noir ! »

The boy woke up from his trance where a myriad of thoughts made him dizzy. Tikki had returned back, with a new addition into her tiny paws.

« Right. The dragon miraculous so that I can fight. » He mumbled, putting on the necklace.

He shouldn't be distracted now. He had all of his time after the fight to do so. Now, he had to concentrate and plan. He was going to protect Paris.

**

After the fight, Adrien's bed became the new place where he let his thoughts drown him. And he had a lot to think about.

Chloe, his childhood friend, decided to be against them by being Hawkmoth's ally before running away.

Every temporary hero had their identities revealed to Hawkmoth.

He had to fight not only against his childhood friend, but also against his new friends, and his partner as well, disguised as a temporary hero.

The Miraculous Box almost got in Hawkmoth's hands and never returning to their side.

Fu had lost his memory.

Ladybug became the new guardian without her consent.

Adrien turned his head on a pillow where he had screamed for five minutes. He knew that in this room, hidden, was the Miraculous Box in all its egg-weird-ladybug glory. He felt that it wasn't safe to keep the box too long in the manor. That somehow, those cold, bare walls were going to swallow that box too, with his freedom and happiness. Adrien closed his eyes shut just with the thought of his father discovering the box and asking too many questions. He needed to see Ladybug – Marinette – tonight. To explain how the fight went, to give her the box. Back at the end of the fight, he did smile when she tried to find an excuse in order to take Master Fu back with her. Saying that she knew the old man because he helped her with her spirals of thoughts and anxieties was a simple but believable excuse. Maybe it wasn't even a lie, since Master Fu did have a pailor shop where he helped people meditate and relax. Just remembering the old man made Adrien sad. He didn't know him much, only met him a few times when it was time for dramatic eventsto arise and yet he was still someone special on their side. For him he was the guardian, the man that gave them their miraculous. However, for her... He was a mentor, someone to talk to, to learn things from, someone to look for and respect. And she lost that. Without even seeing it happen. She couldn't cry or feel, Hawkmoth seeking powerful akumas. And oh, would she be a strong one. Fighting against your partner was horrible. He didn't want to do this again. She couldn't talk about her loss since no one could know that she was related to the old guardian. And now, without even a warning, she became the new guardian, had to protect that box in addition to everything else. She was alone, crumbling under all of her responsibilities.

No.

She wasn't alone.

HE was here. And he was going to help.

Adrien, with a new goal and determination flooring inside his veins, got out of bed. He threw a piece of camembert to his kwami, saying that he needed to prepare himself too. He took the Miracle Box out of its hidden place and stared at it. No. Marinette wasn't going to be alone with all those responsibilities. He was there, he was her partner. At a time, he thought that friendship was fine only for now, that he could wait a little bit before a romantic thing between them. It wasn't right, he knew that deep down. Now, he knew better. Now, no matter if it was romantic or not, she needed him by her side. A shoulder to lean on, a hear to listen, someone to have their back, to divide those duties in two. And he needed that, too. Adrien didn't know anything about miraculous, but not for long. He wasn't sure if it was possible to share the box, to make him some sort of co-guardian but he could still ask. And if not, he could still be someone to take care of her and protect her when she was going to lose her memory as well, the moment she gave her guardian title away. He didn't care if it was more things to learn, more duties and weight on his shoulders. Since he was Chat Noir, he didn't have any new hero responsibility while his partner got everything. _That_ wasn't normal, wasn't good at all and he was going to change that. Who cared that he already had things to do when being Adrien ? Marinette too had a life that she had to sacrifice that in order to be a superhero ! Yes, he had modeling, piano, fencing, chinese lessons, photoshoots, rules as being the face of a fashion brand and Gabriel's son. Marinette had duties as class representative, working on her porte-folio to be accepted in a good school in the future, working on commissions and works for fashion contests, shifts at the bakery, deliveries too sometimes, babysitting, and lessons to be a good guardian before. He could ask for lessons from her, learning everything that was needed about miraculous, the ancient book, kwamis and powers that they gave. They were going to be the best partner for each other.

Adrien, unlike some other times, asked if Plagg was ready. When the glutton nodded after swallowing his cheese, Adrien called for his transformation. Chat Noir, with the Miraculous Box tucked under his arm leaped from the window of his cold bedroom, seeking the warm place that was always next to Marinette, no matter what side of her she showed. While running on the rooftops to go to the meeting place, Chat Noir planned what he was going to say. He knew that it was too much to reveal himself tonight but he promised to do it next week. For now, Ladybug needed someone to ground her, explain her everything and reassure her the most possible. Maybe he could propose to switch miraculous, just for a night, looking for akumas for her. To let her cry her loss for one night, not letting another thing bottle up deep inside of her. He swores at that moment that he was going to protect her, no matter if he, or she, was hiding behind a mask. Protecting and caring for her was already clear in his mind before, a lot of his interaction made it clear on both sides of her life and he surely didn't want to stop that. He was going to be an everyday Chat Noir as well as the real deal.

When he landed on the hidden rooftop that they choose as the meeting point, she was already there. The roof was flat and small, a part that no one saw with those bid chimneys. Ladybug was sitting near one of those chimneys in a small ball of red spandex. The moment she heard him, she turned her face first before standing. Anyone would see her as her brave self but he knew better. How she tightened her fist to not let him see that her hands were trembling or how her smile was a little forced. He wasn't fooled by a smile that he also used in his daily life. Seeing that she needed to put a confident and powerful facade in front of him made Chat Noir sad. She shouldn't need that. They had to be better, more powerful as a duo. And that started with a blinding trust between them. So no more lies.

« Ladybug, we need to talk. »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> « I know who you are but I know that you don't know that I know. I know, it's complicated but since I know that even if you know what happened during the akuma fight, you won't know that I know since I won't say it, everything should be fine. Somehow. »
> 
> Chat Noir is confused. It took him a little more time to think about it here than in canon in Chat Blanc. I mean, his just very good friend who loves fashion is in secretly the love of his life. Pretty shocking. Besides, this time there isn't a gift with a heart on it to prove that she loves him.


	4. Exhausting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad ending of the chapter Alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you think of a bad ending, you think about a scenario where the bad guys win. For me, a bad ending is when someone loses something important for them. And if I have to create that bad ending of Miracle Queen version Alone, I'm going to make everyone lose.  
> Since almost every miraculous that was presented was already used, I had to imagine what other miraculous could exist. I don't know if other miraculous powers were presented except the main 13 miraculous when you will read this but I tried !

Multimouse turned at Miracle Queen, bowing once again.

« My Queen, Ladybug and Chat Noir will come soon. » Multimouse said with a boring tone that didn't sound right from the bubbly girl.

« That's my intention, Dupain-Cheng. » Miracle Queen sneered, looking down at her like she was some worn that she could step on at any moment.

« They had won many battles before, my lady. Every power and possibility must be required to fight them. It would be my honor to serve you at my best. I know that you only want the best for yourself. Therefore, I ask to hold another miraculous as well. »

« What ?! Why would I give _you_ another one ? » Miracle Queen screamed, hiding a little the Miracle Box behind her back, like a child who didn't want to share.

« My powers let me separate myself into a smaller versions of myself. If I have different miraculous at my aid, copies of myself can have different powers. You won't have only five royal guards but a small army. »

« If doing a fusion is a thing I should do it myself to be more powerful ! »

« Using multiple miraculous at once drains a lot of energy. My Queen's health and protection are my main goals. We are here to protect you from your enemies. Let me do it with all my might. Every ancien temporary hero are your faithful pawns. » Multimouse said, before looking into her queen's eyes. « Beside, from all of the members of your royal guard, it's me that you will choose to exhaust until death to grant your wishes. »

« Urg ! Fine ! »

Miracle Queen presented the Miracle Box to Multimouse. Deep down, Marinette knew that it was the perfect opportunity to take back the box. Take the box, run away and if other people try to hunt her, she could divide herself into tiny versions of her and hide inside one of those good hiding places that she found with two years of fighting Hawkmoth. Nevertheless, her mind and body screamed at her to never fail or betray her queen. She wasn't the old Marinette anymore. She was part of the hive. The life, well-being and safety of her queen was the most important thing. She could follow her queen anywhere. For what it was worth, Multimouse had to choose the perfect combinaison. Every miraculous that Marinette already gave someone in the past was used. Except the dragon miraculous that wasn't there with them but Chat Noir needed it to fight. Since there were only in the box some miraculous never used before in this century, she had to guess. She could use Marinette's memory to help more, to be a good royal guard like what she was expected to be.

Every miraculous had some similarities with another, creating duos. The butterfly and peacock miraculous gave powers to others, creating things from emotions, the horse and rabbit miraculous transported things from one place to another via portals... At first, the old Marinette, in the start of her apprenticeship, thought that it was related to the need to balance everything. Miraculous could be grouped into duos of similar powers, one always more powerful than the other. After all, Marinette learned that it could be compared to the yin and yang : The yang, powerful and dominant, still needed the yin, more obedient to balance each other. That was why - according to what Marinette's beliefs – some miraculous had similarities, but one was more powerful than the other. Even if both the horse and rabbit miraculous used portals, the horse had only the ability to travel into the present, while the rabbit could go to the past, future, present and timelines. Sometimes, there were miraculous that were linked to each other and still had some similarities with a third one. For example, even if the horse and rabbit had a yin and yang dominance, the rabbit miraculous had a link with the snake, since both need to control and learn how timelines and alternate universes worked. Some miraculous were related to each other by the way their powers were used, how to summon those powers, abilities, or even just vagues meaning behind why people could use those powers. There were still some problems with her theories and she knew it. Master Fu said that her apprenticeship was done and yet she knew that he still hid some things from her. However, it wasn't the time to think too much about it. Just a quick look at Miracle Queen's face was enough to know that she started to get impatient. She took the goat miraculous for herself, and took the tiger and rooster miraculous as well. Multimouse walked slowly near Nino and Kagami that stood together, waiting for new orders.

« Those two are at your orders, my queen. Why not add them to the royal guard ? » Multimouse proposed, turning slightly to look back at the akuma.

« These losers ? And what else, asking for every hero to be at my mercy without a fight ? Ha ! It's already a miracle that I accepted you all to be in my personal guard ! » Miracle Queen laughed before frowning. « And stop ordering me around, Dupain-Cheng ! »

« Why not add them ? » Multimouse said like she didn't hear anything. If not, she was only going to be guilty. Miracle Queen's orders were absolute. « There are here, waiting to serve you. Every new power and guard can help winning this fight. » After a few seconds of silence, Multimouse smiled, hiding the mirth that creeped inside of her for understanding her queen better.

« Don't you want to see Adrien's best friend and his love interest at your mercy, protecting you against those two heros that tried to protect Paris from Hawkmoth for two years now ? »

Miracle Queen mulled over the proposition for a bit. She hated when other people were right, especially this goody-two-shoes of Dupain-Cheng. But this time she had to admit, it was interesting. More people with super-strength and powers in her royal guard meant that Ladybug and Chat Noir had more enemies to fight at the same time. She even could do nothing at all to win with that many people doing her job instead of her ! With a stiff wave of her hand to dismiss Multimouse and accept her offer, the royal guard turned fully at the two other people near them. Like two robots that you turned the power on, those civilians presented their right hands in front of them where miraculous were put on. In the hive network, Multimouse whispered the right transformation phrase for both miraculous.

Kagami had the panjas-bracelet of the tiger, calling herself Toran. Her suit was purple, a darker purple used for the colour of stripes on her legs, her back, five stripes on her foot to refer to her five toes and the back of her arms. Her yellow-ish eyes were framed by a purple mask that had some weird fur merged at the end. Purple tiger ears with the insides covered by yellow fur twitched on her head, prepared to hear the arrival of their queen enemies. After a bow, Toran went beside Roi Singe, waiting. On the other hand, Nino, now named Bankiva was near Rena Rouge. The front of his tight suit was mainly black and smooth. On the contrary, his back was a vivid red with a lot of golden hues. The red part finished into a triangle form before the start of a tail made of black feathers with blue highlights. He had red gloves and black boots with spurs. Also, similar to his Carapace suit, he got a pair of goggles and a black hood which had a line of red feathers in the center, since a transformed Nino without something to hide his hair wasn't Nino. For herself, Marinette added the goat miraculous on her, the pink accent of her suit being replaced by gray, making her suit entirely gray. Now that everything was settled, she just needed to wait for Chat Noir.

**

It didn't take too long for Chat Noir to come. It was both a relief and a worry to know that their queen was away from them, outside of the field of water. Bankiva was meant to stay in Dragon Noir's peripheral vision without fighting. Always seen, always distracting by staying there without moving. The hero couldn't just take the rooster or snake miraculous either since he was already preoccupied with four people attacking him at once. Moreover, the real location of Viperion and Bankiva was hidden by the multitude of illusions in the field and outside of it. Multimouse knew that this fight had to be fast. She already made sure that Dragon Noir never put a single finger on the snake miraculous. The real Viperion was next to Miracle Queen, hiding in plain sight with an illusion of each guard. She knew that if Dragon Noir fusionned the black cat and snake miraculous, it was game over. As for now, the hero didn't seem to get the subterfuge since copies of Viperion were still in the battle area. As for Multimouse, she decided to divide herself and put every part of her in strategic places. One part of herself was inside Viperion's hair, another one on a platform, watching the battle from afar, looking for moments to strike and call where something could be interesting to exploit. Two Multimouse were already on Dragon Noir without the hero noticing anything. The others were hiding or near other guards. Roi Singe and Rena Rouge were the more brutal of them, always blocking and attacking. Pegagus was switching between fighting in short distance with just his fists and gaigning more distance with leaps in the air, using his boomerang when Dragon Noir was trying to take his miraculous. Toran showed that she was here, pairing every movement of the dragon sword with her pair of tiger head hooks. It was said that mastering this traditional weapon was a challenge of itself and yet Taura used them gracefully. Dragon Noir didn't know anything about the miraculous that he didn't meet yet, so it was pretty understandable that he was wary of Bankiva and Taura in particular. When everyone was projected before hitting the field by a wide motion of the enemy sword, the stealth phase of the plan had to start. Lucky or not, every illusion in the water dome disappeared, revealing where everyone was.

« Now that you are all here I... » Dragon Noir said, his smirk disappearing when he saw that not every guard was there. « Wh-Where... Viperion's outside ? »

Taking advantage of the distraction, no one heard the small _Subterfuge_ that fell from Taura's lips. Not even a second later, the purple holder was nowhere to be seen. Like a beast that subtly hunts its prey, Taura was creeping near Dragon Noir. Her powers permitted her to become invisible. Her high senses and powerful eyes let her know where to go and when she had to stop to not make too many noises. She had to be precise, perfect in each of her mouvements. Her adversary had high senses too after all. She felt like this power wasn't for her but still let her be herself at the same time. Yes, she missed the power that she had while controlling natural elements. Yes, she wanted to be more into the action, fighting with her sword because her training created someone that was in the front, someone that never hesitated. On the contrary of what she thought, her philosophy wasn't perfect. It was because of her straightforwardness that made her go fight her mother when she was an akuma without listening completely to Ladybug's plan and had to repeat the plan another time during the fight. It was also because of her assumptions and wishes to get what she wanted fast and without hesitation that she misinterpreted the relationship between Adrien and Marinette. Her desire to do what was needed to win was what she needed to win Adrien over, hurting Marinette even if she said to Ladybug that she never wanted to hurt her friend. With the tiger miraculous everything felt different. Toran could fight in the first line as well as backing away, striking at the right time. She couldn't just run head first into a fight, she needed to be more subtle, more in tune with other people. It wasn't a solo act like when she fenced. She wasn't a tiger that needed to charge head first at new beasts, to protect her territory. She was a member of the royal guard now. Losing wasn't an option in her queen's eyes and she wasn't planning on it.

When Toran was in position, she saw a Multimouse ready, hiding perfectly with the shard of a cobble that she had found on the Trocadéro earlier and had held from the beginning of the fight. The other, more visible, was giving her a thumb up. This second then turned to the direction of Bankiva, moving her hand rapidly to give her sign for the next phase of the plan. Dragon Noir, who gained his attention into the fight ahead, starting to move near Roi Singe and Pegasus that were still near the end of the area. Before he could go any closer, Toran used her left tiger head hook to hook the hero waist to stop him. The weapon around him made him lose his balance, which only got worse when the hook on the end of her other sword pulled on Dragon's knees. His fall was the contrary of graceful, the swords being between him and the floor during the impact only hurting him more. Not wanting to cataclysm all the floor, the young boy tried his best to not touch anything. However, it was the perfect occasion for the hidden Multimouse. She went out of her hidden place on Dragon Noir, jumped near his hand and placed the cobble into it, the shard becoming ash in seconds.

« What... ! » Dragon Noir sputtered, trying to turn around only to be more blocked by something that he didn't see. A scream of _Dreams World !_ Made him turn his head in the front again. « Multimouse ? »

The moment he saw the little mouse in her cute suit in front of him, a little white and black dome covered them. If you were squinting at it, you should have recognized that the shape of the shelter wasn't a dome but a cloud. With little sounds like balloons that exploded, things started to pop from existence. Dragon Noir didn't know if he was in awe or scared of this power. Some ladybugs flew and rested on roses that had pastel thorns, miniature trees whose roots started to spread all over the floor, and... Are those turtles and eyes with wings ? Dragon Noir shook his head. No, he needed to stay focused on the task at hand. He was still pinned to the floor and even if Multimouse new added powers looked harmless nothing and everything could happen into this bubble. A sense of dread creeped inside Dragon's body, making him fight what held him on the floor more forcefully. The black light on Multimouse's left hand and the white one on her right weren't a good sign for him. With a well placed kick then a punch, he was now free and standing with his sword at the ready, prepared for any type of attack. He didn't have anything to let him know where the transparent tiger was, like that bottle of dust during Vanisher. He tried to always move in the closed space, wanting to find where his enemies were to finish this fight. The fact that not one but three miraculous were beeping to alert those five minutes before detransforming didn't help either to calm him. He knew that Rena Rouge and Roi Singe had already detransformed for five minutes wasn't really that long. And the plot could let those two without powers. Nevertheless, there were still other people to fight against before going for the main villain.

Suddenly a scream of _Attention !_ and the distinctive sound of a war horn startled the hero. At first he thought that it was a warning from an incoming thing but he forgot he was alone this time around and no one was going to prevent him from being hit. Then like he was charmed to turn around, his eyes found Bankiva, still where he stood for the whole battle. The feathers on his hood and his gloves got a red glow on them. It was already too late when the hero understood what was going on. Like the scream of a rooster that proclaimed their dominance, like the attention seeking that they got in a farm, Bankiva was mesmerizing. It wasn't like the submission of the bee, or like illusions made from the fox. Dragon Noir still had the possibility to move however, it was only to follow where the rooster holder led. A distraction that every person that heard the sound of the horn was meant to follow and be attracted to. It was like the power itself was whispering to him to look at Bankiva, not doing anything else, to forget everything else. When he thought that things weren't going to be worse to be stucked into this predicament, he felt a very light touch on his leg. A new musical sound from Bankiva and Dragon Noir didn't have to look at the guy anymore. His goal was reached, making Dragon Noir fearing the worst. Slowly lowering his head, dreading what he was going to see, Dragon Noir stared at the little Multimouse from earlier that stood on his feet. If it was another situation, he would have cooed at the cuteness of it. However, before he had the chance to do anything, his body started to go limp, weighting a lot. Like the little white spot on his leg, the green of his eyes turned white, his entire body straight where he stood. His world seemed to collapse before reconstructing itself back together, only turning everything white. No one was there in this too pure world. Dragon Noir was alone there, in the middle of the white Trocadéro. No Master Fu trying his best until the plot twist to fight back the amock, no big villain with his monologues, no royal guards and their akuma. Nothing at all. Just a white version of Paris with a slow and sweet music in the background. When he looked at his hands, he was terrified by the lack of his superhero suit.

« Welcome to your dream, Chat Noir. » A soothing voice said. Maybe Marinette's if it wasn't deformed like she was under water. « You aren't a bad person, just targeting the wrong person by attacking your queen. You didn't deserve a nightmare. I hope you'll like it. »

What should have been calming things were only worrying him. A dream ? Escaping nightmares ? Was it the goat powers ? Adrien ran around the place, trying to find a way to get out. He nearly screamed for help that wasn't going to come save him when he heard a voice that he believed he wasn't going to listen to anymore.

« Hello Adrien. »

Adrien turned around slowly, like if he turned the person was going to disappear. At the sight just in front of him, tears started to swell in his eyes, his throat went dry and his voice cracked.

« … Mom ? »

***

« It is done, my queen ! »

Multimouse was, by Miracle Queen's order, looking for any other miraculous on Dragon Noir. When she went back from her research with the ladybug miraculous, she gave them to Toran, as well as the black cat miraculous. People could go away from _Dreams World_ with Multigoat's permission however, she couldn't step away from her bubble of dreams and nightmares if she wanted it to stay activated. As the tiger holder was walking near Miracle Queen and Hawkmoth that jumped off the rooftop, people heard the denial and cry for help from the old guardian. The other Multimouse went into the bubble, merging together into the holder of both the goat and mouse miraculous. Miracle Queen saw Hawkmoth take those two miraculous into his hand like it was the treasure he always wished for, his eyes shining like a child when someone presented them a present. Not looking anywhere else than his palm, the villain said :

« Do what you wish with Paris, Miracle Queen. I don't care, I finally got what I wanted. »

Without saying anything else, he went back to the roof, held Mayura by her waist to steady her before jumping on the back of the amock and running away. Master Fu, still there, didn't move, too shocked. He took his bearings, breathing hard with the effort to keep his protection active for so long. How could that even happen ? Bad guys had won, every miraculous except the turtle was in the hands of an akuma and Hawkmoth. He had made sure not to repeat time again and making a mistake as big as this, he had made that promise to himself ! How could two untrained fighter that at the age of third-teen years old, that were without warning and agreement forced to use the two miraculous that the villain wanted in the first place, didn't win ? Master Fu closed his eyes tight. He couldn't just run away from problems that he initiated in the first place like last time. Everything from the beginning were sequences of actions and consequences that were all born from his failures in the temple. He may be old, but he had to act as well. There was no other way with everyone against his cause now. For now, the old man needed to retrieve back to a safe place to regain his energy back. His back hurt a lot, however, it wasn't the place to complain. Paris, no, the country at least was in danger and he was one of the last hope. Retreating his shell-ter, he jumped away from the center of the spot where the akuma was, making a discreet getaway. What he forgot though, was that flying bee sentinels were still active. One threw itself at him, hitting the back of his head where no miraculous suit protected him, making him curse. Where the akuma stayed, she turned slowly in the direction where Fu escaped, a rude smile on her face.

« Did you really think that I will let you escape, old rag ? You held one of my miraculous and I want it. _I_ am the guardian now. Now, bring me that miraculous. »

Without difficulties, the old man turned back. He didn't care about the pleading murmurs of his kwami with every step that he made. After declaring that he renounced his miraculous, Fu gave the turtle miraculous to a smug akuma, reaching out and putting it inside the box. The old man was declared as the Queen's miraculous advisor, since he was still useful because of his knowledge. Miracle Queen knew that she didn't care about the history behind it or the warnings but more powers and magicaroons were still interesting. She then asked for her royal guard to regroup. Except Multigoat that was still in the dome of light where she continued to create little creatures that were floating into the air inside, every guard bowed in front of their queen.

« My reign is now official. Since everyone is under my thumb I thought that I won't need you losers anymore. You were badly chosen in the first place anyway. But doing nothing while looking at people fighting for my cause is better. So you will be my faithfull royal guard forever ! »

« Yes, Miracle Queen. It's an honor. » The royal guards bowed low once again.

« Of course it is! » Miracle Queen laughed, swinging back her ponytail before she put a hand on her chest. « You should be honored that I still keep you as my high-rank servants ! Go recharge or whatever ! »

« Yes, my queen. » Almost everyone except Pegasus and Multigoat said, going away to find something for their kwami to eat.

« My kingdom is only in Paris but it can expand so easily. » The akuma sighed dreamily. « It's like a dream come true ! I'm going to be what I should have been from the beginning : Queen of Paris, then of all France ! No, let's be more, queen of the world ! Now... Let's see what that idiot of Chat Noir and that goody-two-shoes are doing. »

When Multigoat felt her queen being near, she accepted her into the Dreams World. When Miracle Queen looked around the interior of the dome, her face was contorted like she ate a lemon.

« Ew, gross. » Miracle Queen muttered, swatting some angels turtle and ladybugs that were flying too near, eager to welcome the new person. « What am I going to do with him ? Urg, such ridiculous suit. »

Chat Noir, now only with the dragon miraculous to hide his identity, was now laying on the floor. His eyes were still open, revealing this white light coming from them, his suit just a copy of Ryuko's. Multigoat was no more since those five minutes had passed. Only for a short time the goat holder was still there before she transformed back as well. Mullo was laying on a bunch of flowers. It didn't take long for them to understand that the apprentice guardian wasn't herself anymore. Just a simple kwami, already linked to her couldn't do much, especially when they were tired. Food in the first bubble of Dreams World didn't make anyone full, and just compensated the need to eat for a few minutes. The goat holder sat next to the dragon, a bunch of ladybugs inside her hair and on her arms. Her hair was white like snow, loosened in waves around a pair of goat ears and contrasting with her hair clips. All of her skin was dark, making her bright eyes pop up as well as her freckles that were white now, as if there were stars plastered around a night sky. Her tight suit that protected her body was grey, with beige wool covering her legs. The mask that she wore was bigger than what she used to have, covering not only her eyes but also her forehead. It was a dark grey with a white line in the center of it. The girl looked from the boy lying next to her, from the mouse kwami. Her queen didn't like that her commoners looked into her eyes so she could only look down at the boy.

« We should take his last miraculous, he doesn't deserve nor need it anymore. » Miracle Queen mused out loud. « And since he will be a pain to deal with, I could put that fake reporter girl and Dupain-Cheng with the duty to take care of him. Like that I won't have to see those three anymore. Maybe the faker could make his worst nightmares come to life with illusion and the goat can make him go into that strance again... Or I could let him inside my guard, making him what he never wanted to be since he tried to rebel against the rightful queen of Paris. Anyways ! You, take his miraculous ! »

As ordered, her servant took the dragon necklace from the boy. After a big flash of red, only Adrien remained.

« Adrichou ! » Miracle Queen shrieked, taking Adrien into her arms. After a few seconds though she let Adrien at arm's length, frowning. « Wait, you were that mangy cat all along ? Who are you and where is the perfect model and friend I knew ? This is ridiculous. How could you get so low as to be Ladybug's sidekick ?!... Why aren't you answering me ? I order you to answer ! »

« He can't answer, my queen. » The goat girl said instead of Adrien, making Miracle Queen snap her head at her like she forgot that she was here. « He's into the second part of Dreams World, in a perfect dream for five minutes. »

« Well then make him wake up ! »

« My apologies, my queen. Until I detransform after those five minutes he will stay in this state. »

« Well if it's just that... There is an easy way to do it ! »

Without a second to spare, Miracle Queen ripped the goat miraculous from the girl, taking some hair with it. Marinette just blinked once, without saying anything. Everything that was around them exploded into sparkles, the miraculous now inactive. With a gasp, Adrien woke up, the top half of his body rising from the floor.

« Adrichou. » Miracle Queen said with a darker voice, the concerned person looking at her with big horrified green eyes. « I'm so disappointed. But don't worry, I'm going to make you follow the right path again. Inside my personal guard, with a miraculous that is fit for you. »

«W-Wait Chlo ! Do you really want me to be a brainless slave inside your army ? I won't be myself anymore ! »

« You weren't the one that I remember the moment you chose to be Chat Noir. » She answered with an even voice. « You aren't the perfect friend anymore. Something bad made you change. Yes you were still this sunshine boy that obeyed his father, the guy that was okay with everything that I did. But by being with that spotted brat, you became my enemy. The Miracle Queen's enemy. But that doesn't matter now since you are going to a good boy now. »

Adrien tried to stand up and get away from the danger and yet it was already too late. The last thing that he saw before everything went dark was the emotionless face of Marinette, starting ahead. After a while, the akuma searched inside the Miraculous Box. She threw the dog miraculous and the goat one to the two persons in front of her, making them promise that they weren't going to fail her.

Two hours later that day, Adrien fell into a coma state. No one knew why, but his body was transported to a hospital. The Queen of Paris started her conquest of France, then the world. Events after it were called the Wasp War. Other countries were taken easily since no one knew that akumas were something that existed. Since Paris still needed money into their banks, the mayor had decided to not make it known that akuma was something real. That way tourists were still attracted by the capital. Videos of akumas were seen for a long time as pranks with high fantasy special effects. Even for those that were more sceptics about the existence of akumas, it was still just France problems. With the Wasp War, the problem became worldwide and people reacted too late. Miracle Queen, always seeking for more powers, used Fu's knowledge to have an infinity of powers-up. With Fu, she didn't even need to order some kwami to reveal their transformation phrase. She just needed to ask Fu directly. Every secret identity and information about everything related to miraculous elements weren't secret anymore. After knowing that Marinette was Ladybug, Miracle Queen didn't have the occasion to see the spotted heroine being stung with her sentinel. Instead, she let Marinette with both the miraculous of the goat and the mouse, miraculous that she thought were weak and not interesting. In a twisted way, she transformed the strong and confident heroine into an exhausted slave that used, in her opinion, the weakest miraculous. With greedy intentions, Miracle Queen wanted to have more miraculous as her possession. In her search for more, she found the Agreste family in the mansion. Surprised to know them unharmed and uncontrolled by her, she stung them as well, taking the ladybug, peacock and black cat miraculous with her. She knew that she had to let Hawkmoth well and faithful to not transform back into Chloe. Without really meaning it, she had Hawkmoth as her new pawn when she stung Gabriel Agreste along with every person in his house.

However, her greed didn't stop there. Wanting to have those powers for herself, she started to put them on her at the same time. The activation of multiple miraculous on the same holder made her insane, losing her humanity. Her wish to be more powerful to prove that she was worth the attention became an obsession. Not even miraculous that were strangely in the hands of people around the world didn't do much. For those you weren't attacked by Miracle Queen and were still safe, those miraculous holders became heroes, saviours of the world even. No one questioned where they got miraculous, even if each of them were supposed to be protected by an ancient temple and vanished for years until the cure after Feast. There were saviours, people that had the power to fight back Miracle Queen. However, since the ladybug miraculous was on the other side of the battlefield, each attempt wasn't going to help. Once, they crashed the akuma, for only creating copies of Miracle Queen. Those copies were equally powerful as the original and were faithful to the first one created. After that, it was only a question of hours before the last enemies fell, the Wasp War ending. Miracle Queen was then the queen of the world, putting a greedy soul for power with the appearance of a human on the throne.

* * *

**Since it didn't work when I wanted to add pictures directly here, I'm just going to send links for those drawings I made.**

**To see a drawing of Bankiva, click** [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CFX2g1Li4Zr/?igshid=2g8of74u6sof) .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Multimouse with multiple miraculous ? That's a bad ending if I didn't see one. If it's not a bad ending for her enemies, it's for her since she will exhaust herself badly or turn crazy with so much power.  
> My biggest problem while doing duos of miraculous was to put the goat with someone. I didn't know if it could be the partner of the turtle (both with some sort of bubble that separates the world and them) or with the monkey (perturbation of powers or the world around them). So it's both.  
> Toran is a pun between the similarity with « torrent » (stream, flood) - a recall of the fact that Kagami used a miraculous which controlled elemental elements - and tora which apparently means tiger in japanese. I was lazy so I used the suit of an OC, Panthère Rose, a girl with the panther miraculous that I had to draw for a challenge.  
> Bankiva, as in coq bankiva is the French name for the red junglefowl, the primary ancestor of the domestic chicken.  
> I got inspired by a goat species, the bizet for the goat suit. The first suit didn't look good when I draw it so I made a simpler one.
> 
> For the fact that I said two years already passed since Hawkmoth arrived, I thought it could be possible since there were two Christmas specials, therefore two years.
> 
> Thanks for reading !


	5. A slave ? No. I'm a princess.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miracle Queen with more honey bee/hive elements related to it, when the Queen isn't accepted by the hive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... No answers from my Beta Reader, so second chapter in this story where I'm not sure everything is okay in a grammar kind of way.
> 
> If people mind-controlled by Miracle Queen have those yellow eyes, why not give them abilities related to bees or how bees see the world ? The battle between queens should have started the moment Marinette was stung and they should have fought until one of them died. But since Chloe declared herself as a queen after she summoned the temporary holders I took the liberty to not make Marinette directly a future queen. Let's just say that the miraculous is the royal jelly. Therefore a potential queen of the hive is a female that wears a miraculous and is controlled by the akuma.

Her body was unmoving, and her mind was disturbed. That was her first thought after a bee sentinel stung her. A new person stood where Marinette Dupain-Cheng was before. Someone else, another person was born. She could feel the light breeze that caressed her cheeks, how the light seemed to make every street of Paris beautiful. Sometimes, her mind was trying to tell her that she had the ability to see some things that now were vacant. Her memory told her that some elements were « red », even if she didn't decipher the color that her eyes couldn't detect. However, something else was visible, a whitish-blue or whitish-violet color that her instincts let her understand that it was ultraviolet light. As far that she was concerned, nothing was wrong and she had to accept all of those new characteristics with open arms. For now, she decided to give herself a new name, to forget what she was before and what she had become. Now, her name was Aphakia.

The young worker in the akuma's hive was waiting for her new orders. But until then, until a queen proclaimed herself ruler of the hive and gave their first order, Aphakia wanted to understand all of her abilities to help in all her capacities. Her body switched a little, while her yellow eyes looked around. Other people were staring at the horizon, immobile. Unlike her other siblings, she seemed to be able to walk and talk, despite the fact that she could only do it slowly. Aphakia got distracted by a garden near the Seine, while she tried to control the flow of voices inside her head. It didn't hurt her or made her uncomfortable, it just worried her about other people that were so scared. A hive without a queen was a hive that wasn't going to last long. It was at that instant that she heard a shrill into her mind. Unlike the other voices, this one was demanding, expecting other <sto accept to be bossed around. At first it confused Aphakia. The bee worker had thought that the queen bee was, admittedly, strong and a leader however, she also needed to be warm and someone who cared about her workers. After all the survival of their hive depended on their queen. Nevertheless, Aphakia needed to go meet their new queen, no matter how she never anticipated that she was arsh and mean. With a little bit of effort, the young girl convinced other controlled-mind persons to move as well. While she walked where the sound of the queen led her, Aphakia didn't know that she missed Tikki, who came back looking for the dragon miraculous, only to find no one near the Seine.

**

At the Trocadéro, all the way up the many stairs, two figures stood, surrounded by bee sentinels. The man, with his back straight, his horrible silver mask and his purple suit stayed back, looking at what he had done. For once, the Trocadéro was empty of people, only them remained. In the back of his mind, the purple man called Hawkmoth was surprised that no one else was around. People seemed to have flown away from the battle zone, not the other way around. No parisian nor tourists that stayed near and became easy targets for his akumas, no reporters that forgot that their lives too were in danger. Anyways, people that were dumb enought to run near his akumas instead of running away weren't his problem. He _will_ take those ladybug earrings and black cat ring, no matter the cost. His wife's life depended on it. And for once, Hawkmoth was happy with the way things went until now. The terrorist looked at his newly, willingly, akumatized slave. He didn't do much in her design since last time, only adding some black crown and shoulder pads, and yet it looked like a brand new akuma.

Oh, how it was easy to crawl inside someone's skin, especially someone so young. Why else would you think that he mainly targeted children around the age of fourteen ? Because they were all related, one way or another to _that_ school that his son wanted to go to ? Because he didn't care to endanger his son everytime by akumatizing people who were related to him or near him ? Because no one cares about a random civilian that got akumatized, that they are all the same character models with different colour pallets anyways ? That they used every single character that got a specific 3D model and since they already did everyone they do another version that they called 2.0 ? _Wait what ?_ No. He targeted teenagers since they were so easy to mold, to convince to do the right thing, to come to his side, to make them accept a deal with him. He had to deal with that everyday with his son, he knew how to do it with perfection. Took someone when they are weak, gave them a reason to fight, to be angry at someone else than you, gave them what they wanted while making them know that you take away their precious gift whenever you want and you got a pawn to play with. Hawkmoth's smile became more sinister. Yes, he was sure of it, something drastic was going to happen for the enemy's side. If they still won that day, they were going to be at stage zero again while he got back his advantage. The irksome voice of his new akuma stopped his musing, making him focus.

« Parisians, listen carefully to the first rule of Miracle Queen. As of now, no one is forced to keep their secret identity ! Every hero, come to me ! »

« Yes... Yes ! Get out of your hiding places ! » Hawkmoth laughed. It wasn't the identity of those pests of Ladybug and Chat Noir but temporary heroes still are less thorns in his side.

What he didn't plan was that a crowd of people marched all together to get near them. Their blank yellow-ish stares proved that they were all controlled so why did that many people come ? What was the meaning of this ? By the look of it, a lot of parisians were still coming, like an army. Hawkmoth stared, bemused. Miracle Queen's orders were absolute for those she controlled. Did that mean that Ladybug used that many people ? Was it a ruse so that if an identity was discovered, another person could take the role ? Hawkmoth knew that the miraculous changed someone's physical traits but he never thought that it went far more than just a few modifications. It didn't feel right and yet here he was, watching that crowd, all girls and women, staring at the akuma. Some of them were rubbing their shins, others were frowning, wincing. After a few minutes of silence, a lot of them went away or seemed to look for something around them. He needed to warn Mayura. Hawkmoth let Miracle Queen with her court to talk to Mayura, did dramatic poses and used another Amock. To add to the confusion, the akuma started to whine.

« Why don't you all bow, servants ! I am your queen and I deserve your obedience and respect ! Get down on your knees in front of your queen ! Now ! I- »

Her rant was stopped by a trash can being thrown in her direction. With a quick switch of her spinning top, she rolled her weapon around the trash to let it fall in another direction. However, before she did it, several controlled people jumped at her. Maybe it would have been easy to fight back, to stop them before she got on the floor with the help of her super-strength and yet the akuma was too shocked to react. Her servants, her little toys... Rebelling ? Ridiculous ! They were in her control ! They should be hers ! When the akuma started to struggle, fuming with rage it was already too late. Those who went away for some time came back with torches and blunt weapons. She was pinned down, unable to move. If there was someone uncontrolled by the akuma that was filming everything, maybe they would have called this event the bees revolution.

***

Aphakia understood. She didn't see directly how the queen looked like but with how reacted those who could, she knew. It wasn't the right queen for them. Her hunch was right after all. The rest was natural. Every worker that could be near the fake queen was ready to stop her reign. They didn't have stings and yet she was sure that other ways were possible. Aphakia stood away from the center of the famous site, listening to her siblings. She turned, something in her mind telling her that her new duties were now reachable. It was then that she comprehended everything. Maybe it was because she needed to be the next queen that she had the possibility to do things that others didn't. Maybe... She was the one that could help her siblings, other workers that waited for a queen to rise. So, with a determination that she knew was hiding inside of her before she took the dragon miraculous in her purse to put it on her neck. A tiny thing appeared, confused.

« Young one, what happened ? Shouldn't I be in front of Miss Tsuguri instead ? »

« I need your power to control this situation. » Aphakia said, trying to be as vague as possible. Something inside of her was telling her that the little thing wasn't dumb. The faster she transformed, the less chances it won't get that she wasn't entirely Marinette anymore. « Another akuma was created and I need your power to conceal her before her own powers turn against her. »

« Alright, I'm at your service. » The little dragon agreed after looking at the commotion.

By getting access to Marinette's memories, Aphakia knew the right words to say. Her transformation phase wasn't flashy and dramatic like others, her humble and bored self didn't stand it. After a movement of her wrist for creating her blue mask on her face, she only needed one swirl from her clothes to be replaced by her suit. Three little horns adorned her forehead in a triangle, her pigtails were now twin twirls that started with long ribbons. Her suit was mostly tight on her body, except on her waist where a cloth fell until her hips, cutting in two parts on the front. The fabric had a cloud design on it. Finally a swirl of two colors slid on the legs parts of her suit. Aphakia knew that for now her sword that rested on her back wasn't needed however, it was going to be a great help if someone got on her way. In the network inside her mind, she proposed herself as a possible leader. As a result, a warmth spread itself in all of her body. The odor around her shifted, and after some consideration, the new proclaimed queen knew that the smell came for her. Aphakia looked around, and her body started to move silently and slowly like it had a brain of itself. She walked near people, rubbing her scent on them by a simple touch of her hand on their shoulders, their arms. She had to walk around, presenting herself as the queen, asking for permission of the hive to take that title. Voices in her head were all favorable to her proposition. A lot of people recognized her, for her work, for famous people that she knew, for being a great person. It still made her sad that she was accepted due to Marinette's work and exploits but Aphakia swore that she was capable of make them love her for herself. Her voice wasn't loud but it still made people stop hitting the old queen. Some sort of relief and hope shone into Miracle Queen eyes but it got crushed with what she said after.

« If we finish what we should do, the hive will be gone with her as well. Our group exists because of the akuma that she holds. If she's dead, we don't exist. We shall be more compassionate without giving her the possibility to reign anymore. »

With that, Aphakia whispered an order, making the clouds on her suit turn gray, water drawings appearing as well. A bubble of water came from her sword and when everyone detached themselves to the old queen the bubble jumped at her, surrounding her. Miracle Queen punched the bubble to not avail, compelled to stay put on the floor because of the small diameter of the bubble. Aphakia looked around, recollecting the miracle box. When everything was in place, she closed the box. It was the sign of the rize of the new queen. Everyone turned in the direction of their queen, getting on their knees. Bee sentinels stopped flying at once, staying on the floor while their wings moved fast.The silence was short, interrupted by the voice of Hawkmoth at the same time as another voice.

« What's happening here ? » Both of them said at the same time.

Aphakia didn't need to move to know that Chat Noir was here. He may have been transformed as Mister Bug for purifying the akuma but it was still the same guy in the end. Mister Bug called for his Lucky Charm, a map of a part of Paris falling into his hand. Hawkmoth understood that his akuma's powers turned somehow on herself and that only a part of the jewels that he wanted was there. The shell-ter of the old man didn't break yet, Mister Bug was now here to purify the akuma that was contained by a new dragon holder that was talking to the bug. His assistant was coughing in the background. Nothing was looking at his favor. He could wait a little longer, break the shell-ter and the man inside but Hawkmoth beside being a terrorist, a bad father and a potential model for a toothbrush commercial, was known to be an impatient man. So he took Mayura in a bridal style _– oh the irony_ \- and did what he knew best : running away from his actual problems to go back to his lair, dwelling on the past. When he was finally away, the horde of people there was already gone by some order from Aphakia. Mister Bug sighed when he saw Master Fu alone on the roof. Maybe he was tired and a bit bitten nevertheless he was still there and alive. The superhero turned to the akuma that was screaming something that he couldn't hear from his side of the bubble.

« Well then. If you, miss dragon could stop using your power then I could de-evelized that akuma. »

« No. »

« No ? » Mister Bug repeated, taking a defensive stange.

« No. I sent my workers on the mission to follow that man who ran away. He has some power against us and we need to know where our enemies are. »

« Are you saying... That those people that were there before are tracking where Hawkmoth is hiding ? »

« It is quite easy to do so when every Parisian is your eyes. » Aphakia said in her bored tone, turning slowly in the direction of Mister Bug.

After a while, some girls came back to their queen. Aphakia took the map from the guy's hand, holding it so it was flat in front of her. One of the girls advanced and put her finger on a very familiar place. When Mister Bug understood the meaning of it, his legs nearly gave up on him. He tried to recall every interaction with his father, reasons for him that made him do this, every time he met him as Hawkmoth, every fight against him as _Chat Noir_ , every time he was in danger as _Adrien_.

« Kit ! Kit ! You need to go back to your senses ! » Plagg screamed, floating in front of Adrien's face. « The akuma still need to be taken down. »

Mister Bug woke up from his stupor to see a dragon holder mad at him. If he de-akumatized Miracle Queen, it was the end of the hive as well ! Therefore a fight started between Aphakia and Mister Bug. She was strong and seemed to be able to know where his next move was lending next but he was an experienced fencer and hero. Plagg was watching the fight, staying on the side of it. With a sigh, he went into the water bubble and cataclimed the akuma object without Miracle Queen noticing it, cracking the floor with his force. Plagg complained about doing that job, demanding cheese for his effort when the butterfly fluttered away. With a quick move, Mister Bug took the butterfly inside his yoyo before letting it fly away, finally white. A Miraculous Mister Bug shouted later and everything changed, from the look of Chloe, to everybody that stopped being mind-controlled, every damage healed.

No one noticed Master Fu escaping, hiding somewhere else. Everyone thought that a new hero had come with the bug version of Chat Noir, missing the hurt into the boy's eyes. Later, when the Miracle Box was hidden once again, no one noticed a little green kwami flying around, giving back the miraculous to the rightful people. No one heard or saw two heroes on the top of the Eiffel Tower, one of them crying while the other kept an eye for little purple butterflies. Finally, Gabriel Agreste never knew that when he tried to break his enemies he only created his own downfall. Since, not so far away, two teenagers were planning how to make him pay for traumatizing Parisians, hurting them physically and mentally, endangering fourteen years old children that had to fight fashionable disasters for a bunch of jewels. Maybe Aphakia was long gone, but Marinette's compassion and care for her loved one didn't waver. She was going to protect her kitty, her city, her close relatives. It was just a question of time before the reign of Hawkmoth's end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looked at how bees see things and apparently, they can see UV light, can't recognize the colour red, are attracted to purple and blue. Flying can help them see better (that's why Mainette floats near the floor instead of walking and why her suit isn't red like it should be).  
> I wanted to add some elements related to bees while she's transformed, without being too much. Aphakia is the name used for the absence of the lens of the eye where symptoms are loss of accommodation or focus for example. Some individuals have said that they could see ultraviolet light, something that bees can see.  
> When a queen bee is presented to a hive, they can accept her. If not, they kill her. If there are different queens that are born into the hive, they fight until only one remains alive.


	6. I have a plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A controlled Dragon and confused cat-bug against the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of mistakes from Marinette are related to her emotions. Sometimes it's related to her emotions for Adrien, sometimes it's because of her feelings about being Ladybug, or about emotions for some people that she knows in general. It's often the same scenario : Marinette/Ladybug make a mistake, she tries to fix it (sometimes by giving miraculous to those she wronged) and she apologizes after that. Sometimes it's not even her fault to begin with.  
> So I played with a Marinette that when controlled, has no emotions but prioritizes her goals.

Nothing. Hollow. Empty of emotions, of worry. It was what felt Marinette after everything went blank when a bee sentinel had stung her. At first, she did feel pain from the attack, fear from being hit, worry for what would happen to Paris and herself. Nevertheless, everything vanished from her mind after the sentinel sank inside her back. It was like someone had pushed some buttons inside her brain, making her forgot some parts of herself. The world became irrelevant, streets of her once beloved Paris insignificant, only her goals stayed valuables. Marinette first felt then saw Tikki flying in the open, looking terrified while staring into her holder's yellow eyes. After debating between staying in the pink purse and being out, the kwami decided to take the earing and, by the look of it, jumping into the Seine. Surrely, the goddess intended to find Chat Noir, who should be in the water by now. The vacant feeling of cold iron on her earlobes should have worried her but nothing happened.

Good.

For once, Marinette could only have statistics, consequences, reasons, options and a main goal in mind. No emotions to make her fail or try to pay back from her mistakes. No apologies to do even if sometimes it wasn't her fault. No lesson to learn at the end of the day. No worry about losing something since everything was planned inside her mind. Let's use that head of hers, when she was at it. Being Ladybug and having a goal always helped her concentrate, using her smart brain to work perfectly and not fooling around. It was why Tikki gave her cryptic Lucky Charm after all.

First, Marinette needed to focus on the link that she obtained while being controlled. She didn't want the akuma knowing her plans, or who she talked with. If there were loopholes to that mind control, she could know how to use it for her cause. The hive couldn't talk to their members and only obey their queen. That person was like a little whisper in the back of a dark part of Marinette's brain, like a little dot similar to a star in the sky, that at every flick of light, seemed to whisper something. A shrill voice that gave orders, obligation to stay there, to obey, to be a servant, to never do anything against their Queen. Nevertheless, the voice stayed almost vacant, too slow and quiet to decipher every word that it said.

Such a weak queen. Ordering around wasn't going to work well in the long term. The small voice wasn't a threat. Marinette was stronger than that. She was the confident Marinette, the smart Ladybug, the strong apprentice and future guardian of the miraculous. She was better. A weak queen meant a queen that was going to be replaced. A queen replaced was the symbol of the selection of a new queen for the hive. By the feeling that crawled inside her mind, Marinette was proposed as a princess, someone that could be the next queen. Being a superior meant abilities, power and access to things that a normal bee couldn't do. She could work with that. Moreover, the moment she was _born_ into that hive, things were already moving. A new virgin queen bee emerged, the original one was meant to leave. Her reign was already ending when the hive already prepared themselves for a new person on the throne. With that in mind, Marinette took the dragon miraculous from her purse and put it on. Longg appeared, calling her _young Ladybug_. Their voice grew weak when they saw that Marinette's eyes were no longer blue.

« Do not worry, Longg. » Marinette reassured. « I may be controlled by the akuma but it seems that I still have some power. I can't be Ladybug anymore, Tikki took my earrings when I got hit but I can still fight. Will you help me ? »

« Of course, young one. » Longg answered while bowing to their new holder.

« Good. Longg, bring the storm. »

A flash of light later, and Marinette was now a new transformed dragon hero. Her suit was like a patchwork of different materials even if every part was red or black. Two little black horns were stuck inside her skull, framed by her blueish hair that were groomed into a bun secured by a red ribbon that the end flew with the wind. Her yellow eyes were surrounded by a black and red mask that looked a little like Ryukio's while some fabric in the shape of cattle ears were attached to her real ears. Scales covered her from the base of her head to her collarbone, then bigger scales were spread from her forearms to her fingers that ended with claws. Finally, at the end of her hips started a tail made of fabric. As she moved her claws slowly, Marinette thought that the name of Jiao-Long was fitting for a dragon miraculous holder that could control natural elements. And since the first step of her plan was done, it was the time to do the second.

Organizing those voices inside her mind wasn't easy at first but after a bit of training it became like a second nature for Marinette. The network of voices was like a group of people on the internet, talking to each other. Sometimes, they stayed in the group conversation, sometimes they switched to a personal one, sometimes they are blocked. After verification the akuma was only there when she wanted to command her troup. Nothing could make her check the hive for people who wanted to stop her. And to make sure of it, it was easy to block her from the hive for a few minutes.

It was even easier than she thought it would be.

Miracle Queen wasn't a respected queen. She didn't care about the hive, only about herself and her goals. Her dangerous wish to reveal secret identities was already failing, at least eighty percent of it. Male bees, as in drones, had for main purpose to reproduce with the queen before dying, and stayed in standby otherwise. Therefore, every boy in the miracle team wouldn't come if they were asked to reveal themselves. As for the thirty percent remaining, Ladybug was out of the equation already, Multimouse too since she was... Well her, and Bunnix didn't exist yet. A little bit of convincing later and Jiao-Long made people into the hive understood that the actual queen wasn't fit to be their ruler. She promised to do everything in her power to stop her before the queen destroyed the hive, to protect their heroes. For that, she just needed... A. Little. Help. And she just knew how to make it easier. Merchandise about heroes was a thing, fan fiction was a thing, everyone in this city would want to be into a hero's skin for a day.

« _For once in your life, you can replace a hero. I need someone that has some resemblance with Rena Rouge. It would be strange if Kagami Tsuguri doesn't come as well since she already revealed herself as Ryukio on her first mission. For the new Rena Rouge, think of it as a way to protect your hero, a way to help protect Paris and the hive. Do not fear, I will claim that you aren't the actual Rena Rouge after I control Miracle Queen. I don't want to protect someone by letting a target be placed on someone else. As for actual miraculous holders, do not come near._ »

When every party had agreed to those therms, Jiao-Long could only smile, walking slowly near the water of the Seine.

The next step was done. Soon, another will be done too.

**

Miracle Queen was proud of herself, her smug smile was a proof of it. Ladybug was doomed, with her as her enemy. She didn't know why that old rag in a green suit was in a ball of light just on the rooftop above her but it wasn't like she cared anyways. If she had to guess, this old man was an ally of Ladybug, maybe the one that kept other miraculous. It didn't matter, since Mayura was taking care of him. As for now, Paris was her kingdom, Parisians her servants, mere commoners that were doing her biddings. Her dear mother was staying here, loving her father, loving _her._ People saw her as what she was _destined_ and _rightful_ to be, as the queen that she was born to be. She couldn't be happier. If only that brat of Ladybug and that stupid Chat Noir were fallen at her knees too ! Miracle Queen looked down at the box settled against her hip, a sinister smile took place on her face. Maybe she could use her new toys. _Yes._ Miracle Queen thought, the voice inside her head strangely familiar to Hawkmoth's, while ordering that every miraculous holder came to her, _Use her own allies against her, make her cry, make her bow in front of your power, make her weak. She will know to not ignore the girl named Chloe Bourgeois !_

It took some time for people to arrive at the Trocadéro since they were in different places of Paris and could only walk to come there. It was still surprising to see two girls arriving at the same time even if Paris was big with all of its districts. However, even after waiting a little more, no more arrived. The shrill noise that came from the akuma's mouth was the first sign of her irritation.

« Urg ! Who's this ?! » Miracle Queen demanded, oddly thinking that she would have recognized every hero under the mask. She looked at the first girl bowing in front of her. Her red curly hair hiding perfectly her almand face, her big hazel eyes. Her pin-up curves were slightly hidden by her long white dress with big orange flowers on it. « I don't know her. Who does she thinks she is, a model ?! Too bad she didn't get the memo that big patterns and too long dresses weren't fashionable ! » she sneered before turning at Kagami « Seriously Ladybug, evering pretentious girl can have a miraculous or are you dumb to surrounded yourself with incompetents ? It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous ! »

« Why aren't they more people ? I remember seeing a lot more holders. » Hawkmoth wondered.

« They must be some losers that are so scared to come out. » The akuma grunted, crossing her arms against her chest.

« If I can be so bold. » The curly hair girl started with an emotionless voice. « Boys are only on stand-by, my queen. Drones such as them only come to one of your commands. Since your glorious self isn't at a congregation area, they won't be near you. »

« Congregation area ? Drones ? » Murmured the villain before understanding. « It looks like your powers are highly related to how a real hive works, my queen. It would be useless to try to go at their research. They would die before we understand who they are. »

In all of this success, Hawkmoth forgot that using animals as inspiration for his akuma wasn't a great idea. He had poured more power into that Bourgeois girl than her two other akumatizations. Maybe it was because she willingly accepted his deal but it looked like her mind-controlled slaves worked like a real honey bee hive. Only female miraculous holders could accept her call from earlier. Hawkmoth sighed. He was going to accept whatever information and power he could get. Two secret identities was far better than nothing. He waited too long to have the upper hand and he planned to watch those two closely after that battle was finished. His pawn was showing the miraculous box to the two girls, but only the unknown girl took the fox miraculous to transform into Rena Rouge.

By checking into the box, the villain saw that the dragon miraculous wasn't there. To make sure that every asset at his disposal was used, he proposed to give another miraculous to Kagami. With a huff, Miracle Queen tossed the first miraculous that she could touch, leaving Kagami with the snake. The girl whispered something at the kwami, making him split his transformation phrase. When the akuma started to pose while she decided that she had a royal guard with her now, Hawkmoth jumped on the rooftop near. For a moment he looked back, musing to himself that for wonce, Nathalie was wrong. With the resemblance between the civilian and the hero, Rena Rouge wasn't the idealistic vision of the perfect body viewed by a teenage girl that isn't happy with her curves. But it wasn't the time to think about how now people were insecure with their bodies. He needed to check the old guardian.

***

Chat Noir was waiting for Tikki. After the shock of discovering that his Lady was compromised, they decided to take back the dragon miraculous from her civilian self and used it for the battle. They needed it in order to not be at the mercy of the bee sentinels. Being the only hero available was still strange but he had to get used to it. When he heard a voice that wasn't the high pitch of Tikki, he didn't stop himself yelping.

« Hello Chat Noir. »

The boy turned, a myriad of emotions showing on his face : first shock, then hope, sadness and doubt. Chat Noir searched for something, anything that could help him recognize the person behind the mask before his eyes landed on the dragon miraculous. Isn't the dragon miraculous for Kagami ? Oh. Ladybug must have chose someone else since Kagami was hit by a sentinel before he jumped into the Seine. He knew that nothing could help him into knowing who was behind the mask but the teenager still roamed her body before searching her gaze. Panic started to creep inside him when he noticed the color of her eyes. By reflexe, Chat Noir swam backwards, trying to keep a good distance between them. Something was wrong here.

« How did they already find me ? How do they even get the dragon miraculous ?! Ladybug should have it ! »

« She did. And she doesn't have it now. Ladybug is compromised Chat Noir. She sent me here. »

With desperation, the young hero took his baton from his back, swinging it to hit the new girl. This was a disaster ! Not only the akuma controlled all of Paris, it also gave a miraculous to one of its slaves ! He thought that at least a civilian would be easy to beat since he knew how to use a miraculous for longer than them but the girl dodged perfectly. It looked like it was for her a dance that she knew every step, her bored gaze digging into his soul.

« I'm not your enemy. » The girl said, still dodging each and every attack. « I'm only here to present you a plan to beat the akuma as well as warning you about something. »

« I don't believe you ! » Chat Noir screamed, still attacking the dragon holder.

« You did believe a mere mouse girl when she literally asked for you miraculous and you believed her because she said that she was sent by Ladybug. And yet you attack me, as I do the same ? »

« You are controlled by that akuma ! There is no way that it's not a trick ! »

« Well, maybe a crucial piece of information that Ladybug gave me will convince you then. » Dragon girl said, finally stopping with her hand the baton that tried to hit her. «A certain Master Fu disappeared. The place where he was last seen was ravaged. »

« What... ? » Chat mumbled, his hands failing to keep into them his baton. Only the girl held it, waiting for the boy to awoke from his stupor.

« Chat Noir ! I have bad news ! » A new voice cried, only for its owner to stop near the hero. Tikki turned to look at both humans. Only a few seconds were needed for her to understand. By some miracle, Marinette was still on their side and moving. She continued to talk, like nothing strange was happening. « Ladybug wasn't where she should have been ! And since the person next to you has the dragon miraculous, it wasn't taken with Ladybug. »

« Is it true Tikki ? » Chat Noir demanded, worry shining into his eyes. « Master Fu disappeared ? »

« Yes. I didn't want you to panic more than already but he was certainly attacked during the last akuma battle. My holder met him while transformed and a villain must have followed her. »

Chat Noir stared at the horizon, trying to calm himself. He flinched when a hand landed on his shoulder. Maybe he only met that girl, but something in her calm and determined expression calmed him and reassured him. Little did he know that she tried to reassure him not since she cared, nor wanted him to feel better. As long as he was in the game, Chat Noir was an asset.

« Take some deep breath to calm down, Chat. We need a concentrated Chat Noir for this. »

At this, the hero tried to smile. After discovering that the girl called herself Jiao-Long, he took his baton from her hand, to extend it and using it as a periscope. He gasped when he looked at the Trocadéro. She was right ! They got the Miracle Box and Master Fu ! How did that happen ? No, Chat Noir didn't have time for this, the more important thing was saving Fu before his shell-ter disappeared. They need a plan, and fast. And a plan they had, thanks to Jiao-Long. The dragon holder created a bubble, making it possible to breath air inside of it. While she turned around, eyes closed and watched by Tikki, Chat Noir detransformed and transformed back as Mister Bug. When everything was finished, they jumped from the Seine, covered by the bubble. It expended itself when they land, separating the royal guard and Miracle Queen from the other villains. To Fu's and Hawkmoth's surprise, Mister Bug was with an unknown dragon holder that flew near the floor. Her movements were fluid, like a cloth in the wind. People are blind therefore not even Fu recognized Marinette behind the mask for Jiao-Long. Hawkmoth advanced near the end of the roof, screaming and growling like an impatient child.

« Mister Bug ?! Where's my black cat miraculous ? I need both of them ! »

« It never was your miraculous, Hawkmoth ! » Mister Bug answered, ready to fight. « And soon you won't have that brooch either ! »

Even if he was provoked, the villain stayed on the rooftop, watching the fight from afar. The old Guardian shouldn't stand for too long. With how fragile Mayura was, he couldn't let her watch the old guardian alone. One moment and he could run away. As for Fu, he was stunned to not see Ladybug with Chat Noir but a strange girl.While Mister bug took the snake miraculous from Kagami who feigned to fight back, Jiao-Long was fighting both Rena Rouge and Miracle Queen. Since she didn't want Jiao-Long to take back the box, the akuma only used one hand, the other holding the box. When the dragon didn't dodge her enemy by a delicate twirl of her body, it was with her sword. Once in a while, she would attack with such force that often let her enemies against the water field. After that it was easy. A well placed kick in the gut, a hand holding tight the akuma's head before thrusting it on the floor, a foot forcefully placed on that blond head as well as a sword placed on the neck and Miracle Queen had to stay immobile. She turned her head to her royal guards but was shocked when she saw the snake one unmoving while the other was helping pinning her down with her flute. The plan to use her spinning top and activating Venom was thrown at the window the moment Rena Rouge took the weapon before giving it to Chat Noir. At first the hero was tense, preparing himself for a trick when he tried to grab the weapon but a nod from Jiao-Long made him take the offering.

« Don't destroy it yet. » Jiao-Long murmured, explaining when there were only doubts and confusion on the face of her ally. « I have a plan. And I need the hive. » When he nodded, she looked back at Miracle Queen at her feet. « Miracle Queen. You were declared unfit to be our queen. »

« What ?! Who are you to have the audacity to claim that ! » Miracle Queen screamed, trashing without going anywhere and burning holes inside her royal guard with just her look. « And you two ! How could you betray your queen ?! I order you to let me go ! »

« Like I said, you are not our queen. It was decided that you were unworthy of that title. Bee-keepers can propose a new queen to a hive without one. And yours... » Jiao-Long declared, looking at Hawkmoth on his roof. « Didn't choose the right one. »

« What is the meaning of this ? » The villain sneered, unpleased with how things turned out. « My queen, control your servants ! They are under your control, your powers permitted it ! Stop this stupid revolution in your ranks ! »

« You should be happy we still need her to live, Hawkmoth. » Jiao-Long answers, her voice flat of any emotions. « You should be happy that something stops them from doing the right thing. If not, you wouldn't have an akuma anymore. »

« And what is that right thing to do ? »

« Killing her. » The girl said like it was obvious.

The two words made Miracle Queen stop thrashing around, her head tring it best to look at the dragon holder's face. They wouldn't do it, right ?Those mere commoners were too scared to have blood on their hands, to kill their queen ! And yet, there were still things that proved their intention. The way Kagami pretended to fight back Chat Noir before giving her miraculous. How every inch of Rena Rouge's body and weapon were meant to stop her from standing again. With her emotionless face and her wish to achieve every step of her plan, that dragon girl would dare to cross that line. Miracle Queen was sure of it.

It was more than embarrassing to be their prisoner.

She screamed, finding it impossible that she had just fallen from her throne. Her scream stopped the moment the sword went nearer to her neck. The point of the sword was just at the right place, where it wasn't still protected by the suit. In her mind, Jiao-Long could hear the buzzing of voices. They all seemed to look at the fight and declare that the old queen was dead for them. A new one was required while the old one had to step back. Kagami presented with a bow the Miracle Box to Jiao-Long who had flown a little away when Miracle Queen had lost.

« The hive is at your service, new queen. »

« What ?! » Miracle Queen screamed.

« Looks like you just had a promotion. » Mister Bug joked, taking everyone's attention from Jiao-Long who took the opportunity to give the dog miraculous to Kagami as well as fusionning the dragon and horse miraculous.« Are you ready to fight all of Paris, Hawkmoth ? You control anything anymore ! »

For a few seconds, everything was silent. Jiao-Long seemed into a strange strance, fixing the horizon, deep into her thoughts. Then, with a twitch of her hand, the bubble of water protecting them exploded into particles of water that fell down on them. The particles gathered into a smaller bubble around Miracle Queen, locking her away from everyone. Rena Rouge could finally stand again, no longer needed to keep the akuma on their knees. She detransformed and gave away her miraculous, no more needed for the rest of the plan.

« Before you do anything. » Jiao-Long started, knowing perfectly that Mister Bug wanted to de-akumatized the akuma. « Videos would be sent to you in a moment. »

Mister Bug looked back at his yo-yo, seeing another video arriving and adding itself to a list of unread videos. Ladybug had given away a number related to their miraculous devices that was protected by the magic in case of emergencies to a secret list of people. Chat Noir knew that this list included journalists like Nadja Chamack, Alya Cesaire, the police officer Raincomprix and other people they trusted so far. It was a way to know if someone interesting about Hawkmoth, Mayura or akumas in general had leaked before the media or anything really spread the news. It was also this way that the police and heroes contacted each other in their research for Hawkmoth's lair. Since he didn't come out often, they decided to track down where each akumatization started and ended. It wasn't much, and yet it still helped them to draw a zone where hot spots for akumatizations where -mainly the collège Françoise Dupont- as well as giving them tactics in order to control those zones. Someone in that list of people having the number had to help Jiao-Long someway or another, sending those videos.

« Do not erase any of those videos. Showing them to Paris will be your decision after that. »

Promising himself to look at it after, the hero destroyed the akuma object, de-akumatized the butterfly and screamed for the cure after invoking the lucky charm. Everything went back to normal, everyone taking control of their body. Mister Bug explained the situation to the girl that pretended to be Rena Rouge who looked around confused as to how she arrived there. On the other hand, Miracle Queen, now Queen Been pouted, no longer locked inside the water bubble. There was only the sound of the hero's beeper that signalized that they only had a few minutes to disturb the silent in the Trocadéro. Finally Hawkmoth laughed, revealing another akuma that hid inside his cane. With a joyful gasp, Queen Bee started to jump into the air to get the akuma. It didn't work, Mister Bug catching it before her. The young boy tried to make Queen Bee understand that Hawkmoth was the villain, the one to fight in order to protect Paris. However, he only got as an answer a declaration of war, the girl proclaiming herself his new enemy and Hawkmoth's ally.

The call from the horse miraculous startled everyone. Jiao-Long punched the air, sending a portal at the direction of the roof. Hawkmoth and Mayura, thinking that they were the portal's target, jumped on the amock's back, flying away in the sky. They could only scream in horror when instead of lending on where they stood before, the portal landed just under Fu. Taking this chance, the old man jumped inside the portal with his shell-ter still on. He still had doubts about how Chat Noir chose his ally, nevertheless he had no other choice.

Maybe he lose the opportunity to train another person after all. The boy could have been even better than what he was now if Fu didn't think that it was too soon. What he didn't plan was to fall inside the center of a familiar square. Memories came back at him like a wave of nostalgia. He didn't think that he would see the Miraculous Temple again. In fact, he was more worried about the fact that an unknown miraculous holder knew about the location and look of the Temple more than the fact that he was safe and sound. Looking at the sky, Fu prayed that everything in Paris was alright.

At least for Hawkmoth, not a lot of things were in his favor. Angry, he turned his head in the direction of the heroes, his face changing like he ate a lemon.

« You... ! » The villain grumbled.

« You should run away like you did before ! No one want to see your ugly mask anyways ! » Mister Bug proposed with a smirk.

« You insolent child ! Who raised you to treat people that way ! Mark my words, Chat Noir, I will take yours and Ladybug's miraculous one day or another ! »

« Nothing went good for you, doesn't it ? » Jiao-Long announced. « The guardian escaped, just one of the two miraculous that you wanted came, your akuma is under control, you don't even know any new secret identity. »

« What ?! But those girls are Rena Rouge and Ryuko ! »

« Why yes, mademoiselle Tsuguri is the ancient dragon holder. She explained it quite well the one time she used the miraculous. I can't be sure of what I planned when I was controlled but I can guess. It would have been strange that someone else pretended to be Ryuko when Miracle Queen asked every hero to come to her. It doesn't mean that I would try everything to throw a wrench into your plans. And I certainly remember who I gave every miraculous to. » Jiao-Long explained, finally smirking at her enemies. « Checkmate, Hawkmoth. »

« Ladybug ?! » Mister Bug screamed, shocked. Did that mean that he was fighting along his lady all along after all ?

« Hey Kitty. » Jiao-Long said with a wink. « I see that you put my spots once again. But it looks like I still find a way to return to the battlefield. It still us against the world, even when one of us is out. »

Snarling at those teenagers, Hawkmoth ordered the amock to fly away, preparing his retreat. Mister Bug blinked two times, almost surprised at the action before taking his yo-yo. Jiao-Long stopped him, saying that she already saw another miraculous holder taking chase. Indeed, Kagami, now in the dog form, was already tracking Hawkmoth. She didn't know why she was there, in a new suit when the dragon one was already used. However, she couldn't deny that the aspect of Hawkmoth running away once again without repercussions didn't fit right with her. She had the time to look in the distance at the fight as well as the data that she had about her power since she regained her consciousness. Her super-power, Hunt, permitted her to track people easily, making her the best hound for the job. She started filming on a rooftop with the device hidden inside her boar spear head. The video showed Hawkmoth and Mayura detransforming, Gabriel Agreste laying Natalie Sanscœur on the back seat of a car. Even if the video didn't show them talking about the good and bad of the battle, it was proof enough. It was a panicked Kagami that came back at the Trocadéro, sending the video to the device of Mister Bug before detransforming. Another sound made Mister Bug realize that there were other videos that were sent as well. With a sigh of relief, he noticed that videos during the akuma battle were still there. Maybe was it because they were stocked into the yo-yo that they weren't erased with the cure ? Mister Bug made sure to promise to Jiao-Long – Ladybug, his mind recalled – that he would talk with her.

They needed to talk about the fight as well as watching those mysterious videos. They let the fake Rena Rouge go away as well as Kagami. They knew that they needed to talk to the young fencer, making her explain what she saw and did exactly. However, there were other things to do first and they needed to make quick work, Jiao-Long going away with the box. Her dragon transformation erased itself during the time she ran to her home, the horse transformation holding a little bit longer since she called for her power later during the fight. When the Miraculous Box was hidden inside her bedroom, Marinette transformed back into Jiao-Long. The kwami had to eat their treat during the first rush to her house but Longg didn't complain. She arrived just in time to replace Mister Bug who so far watched over Chloe Bourgeois.

At first, the boy needed to hold her back by her wrists to stop the rich girl that wanted to escape. She wailed of the fact that no akuma victims had to stay after an akuma attack and that she needed to go back to her mother in order to go away from Paris. Mister Bug argued that like every akuma victim, she needed to be checked by ambulance and at least, get a card with the number of a psychologist. With every answer from the young hero, Chloe dismissed them, talking about the fact that she hated them all and that she wasn't going to stay near them. When Jiao-Long came back, she took the place of Mister Bug that jumped away like his life depended on it. Instead of big green eyes looking at her and pleading her to understand, Chloe was met with only silence. Jiao-Long was stiff like a wooden board, holding Chloe with a loosen yet firm hand. She was still trying to wrap her mind around everything that happened. What happened after she got stung ? Where were her earrings ? How she had transformed into the dragon holder ? By the look of it, it didn't seem that she fought against her partner so how did she fight back the akuma's control ? Mister Bug returned, now in his black suit, making her stop panicking for a moment.

« I think those belonged to you. » Chat Noir said with a small smile, presenting the earrings and taking his partner's place.

« Thanks Kitty. » Jiao-Long smiled, putting her earrings back where they should be, ignoring Chloe's words when she learned that it was the same girl behind Jiao-Long and Ladybug mask that stood next to her.

« And what are you going to do to me ?! » Chloe ordered, thrashing around in Chat's hold. « Why can't I go back to my parents ! I need to send someone to make my suitcases when I'm going to New York with mama ! »

« It would be impossible for now, Miss Bourgeois. » A voice said.

All three turned around, looking at Officer Raincomprix, escorted by two police cars, three other officers, Nadja Chamack with her crew and an ambulance. While a police officer - maybe Raincomprix's partner during missions – walked near them to hold Chloe back, officer Raincomprix explained the situation.

« Nadja Chamack and her crew were apparently on a roof of the national naval museum, just at the beginning of the Trocadéro. They didn't know why they were here at first since last time they were conscious, they were driving near the last akuma battle but they noticed they were filming for a while. They kept filming after Hawkmoth was gone, ready to come here asking you questions. However, I am here personally because of what that part of the film shows. » The officer detailed.

After looking between the blonde girl and the duo of superheroes, Officer Raincomprix continued, watching his partner taking their handcuffs to put them on Chloe.

« What you did, Miss Bourgeois isn't just being controlled by Hawkmoth. It was actively and consciously helping two terrorists called Hawkmoth and Mayura that threatened Paris for two years. That is why by the name of the law, more precisely the article in the French penal code, fourth book, second title, chapter 1, we arrest you for helping, participating and claiming being a member of a group of terrorists. If you don't have a lawyer, one will cover your case. »

« What ! I'm not a terrorist ! I'm an akuma victim, like each and every one of those cretins that got akumatized before me ! » Chloe screamed, trying to take her handcuffs in vain. « You don't do that with every akuma ! »

« No, we don't. Hawkmoth did change some parts of the law, especially articles about terrorim, the authority from a member of said group of terrorists to a civilian that was forced to collaborate, especially when they are minors. Hawkmoth could target someone in particular the moment he thinks that they could be a weakness and a way to obtain what he wants. Therefore, we had to include some parts about our heroes as well, such as facts about their secret identities, protection of their loved ones and themselves in case of identity reveal.» The other policeofficer explained.

« As for punishment, it was declared that akuma victims will be just that, victims until they willingly accept an akuma. » Officer Raincomprix continued. «Proofs are showing that you, Chloe Bourgeois, had jumped at reach for a akuma butterfly when you are in your normal form and declared yourself as Ladybug's and Chat Noir's enemy. The last statement was supported by Hawkmoth himself when he called you, and I quote, « one of ours ». Therefore, it is our responsibility to take you to a police office. »

« No ! I'm Chloe Bourgois, you won't take me to that police office ! Someone, call daddy, he will find a solution to your delusional error ! What I say and do are _absolute_ and aren't _your_ problems ! »

« In the contrary Miss, there are _our_ problems. The moment you sided with them, when you went against our heroes, against _Paris_ it was more than enough. It isn't just someone behind a screen, claiming idiocies either, but a public claim supported by a villain. As for your father, the mayor of Paris, this case isn't in his jurisdiction or under his power anymore. » The red-hair man responded, his eyes turning darker and nostalgic. « The police, especially myself won't be treated and used by the mayor and your fit of anger anymore. We will respect and obey the law first and foremost. »

« I won't allow it ! I have to go back to the hotel to go with mama to New York ! »

« Do not worry, Miss Bourgeois. » Officer Raincomprix said, with a small, rueful smile. « One of your complementary sentences is the definitive prohibition to stay in France's territory. We wouldn't want you to akumatized someone or be akumatized, wouldn't we ? »

With that, they took Chloe with them, driving away. The cameraman in Nadja's crew turned from the street where police cars disappeared, to the two heros still there. For once, they were live streaming and their heros didn't have a short time to escape after the fight. Lucky.

« Chat Noir ! Ladybug ! What a terrible fight it was ! » Nadja Chamack said, prepared to turn her mike in the direction of the duo the moment she finished her question. « Chloe Bourgeois, known as the daughter of the mayor, André Bourgeois, was just arrested as a conscious helper of Hawkmoth ! But first, what name can we call you in that dragon form, Ladybug ?»

« It was Jiao-Long, if I recalled correctly. » Chat Noir answered instead of his partner, not to be rude but because the girl next to him didn't know the answer. « She presented herself as such when we met before the battle. It's still funny to know that even controlled, you still had the power to fight on the right side. If it isn't proof that you're amazing, m'lady, I don't know what it is. »

« I'm still sorry for that, Chat. » Jiao-Long apologized, a hand put on Chat Noir's arm. « I didn't have the time to transform when those bee sentinels arrived. I'm still glad that somehow, I found a way to fight by your side and that the ladybug or dragon miraculous didn't get into Hawkmoth's hand. But it was still dangerous. I have faith that everything would have been fine with you protecting Paris. It was still a close call though. »

Chat Noir's smile said everything that the heroine needed, before she turned at the camera.

« Even if it was a hard fight, remembering us a lot of Hero's Day, we can learn a lot from it. We learnt that people can be manipulated, more than we thought was possible, to the point of agreeing willingly to be on the enemy's side for longer than just an akuma fight. We learnt that secret identities were a fragile thing that had to be respected. Now, all you know how it is dangerous to know or trying to reveal a hero's identity. Everything from our personal lifes, to our romantic relationships, where we work, to who are our loved one can be a new asset inside Hawkmoth's hand. »

At that, Nadja looked at Jiao-Long sheepishly. The journalist had tried to force the idea of a romantic relationship between their heroes.

« Hawkmoth is growing stronger, from Mayura's aid to new information that were revealed in this fight. But hope didn't vanish yet. We will reform a team and one day, we will take down Hawkmoth and Mayura. Ladybug and Chat Noir will do everything in their power to do this. »

With that the camera showed their two heroes jumping away from the battlefield, going out of the view to only let an empty, famous area behind.

* * *

**I tried to add a picture of a drawing I made of Jiao-Long but I didn't work...**

**So if it doesn't work, here a link :** [right here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUGrpACMwb/?igshid=1v6fixx5t2) **(I hope I copied it right). You can also discover the design for Aphakia, Marinette in the chapter _Slave ? No, I'm a princess_.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading ! I hope that those chapters weren't too repetitive or too long. Some ideas were mixed together since they were too similar, others were separated (like the identity reveal of Ladybug in a chapter of its own).  
> Jiao-Long is a the name of a chinese dragon and the suit is a reference to how the philosoph Wang Fu (78-163) described how a dragon looks like. Since I didn't want the suit to be too much, I didn't use the camel head of the description.
> 
> Does anyone know how to correctly add pictures ? I would love to add some drawings that I made but everytime I tried, it didn't work.


	7. Bad man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No Miracle Queen here.  
> Just more depth into how things should go in the background of the drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I analysed how temporary heroes were chosen, I saw something, like a pattern. There is the « Pardon » pattern and the « Close » pattern. It's not foolproof but it's something that happened often.  
> The Pardon one went like this : Marinette/Ladybug do a mistake, Ladybug fights an akuma, she tries to apologize by giving a miraculous to the person that she did wrong. Marinette cheated to make Nino win an arm wrestling fight, he became Carapace. She misjudged Kagami, she got the dragon miraculous. After losing the opportunity to present Luka to Jagged Stone, by choosing Adrien, Viperion appeared.  
> The Close pattern can be summarized by : « We have an already presented character that is close to the akuma, let's make them a hero ». Alya is related to the Sapotis, her sisters, when she became Rena Rouge for the first time. Pegasus' mother was the akuma. Temporary heroes from the Pardon pattern can also be added in this pattern as well since they were all close to the akuma fight. (when there are magic people roaming the street you should run away, not near)  
> The only one that didn't start like that was Queen Bee since Ladybug didn't choose her.

Ladybug was in a rush. She just took the dragon miraculous from Master Fu to give it to Kagami. The discussion that she had with the young fencer was still troubling her mind. It was still confusing how Kagami swore that she didn't want to hurt her, as Marinette but still did everything to date Adrien. She knew that she shouldn't expect someone to be like her. To accept with a broken heart that the guy she loved would be happier with someone else. To let him go reluctantly, even pushing him in someone else's arms. But... How she phrased her conviction to keep pursuing Adrien was strange. How could she say that she didn't want to hurt her, before saying that she refused to renounce trying to be with Adrien, even for their friendship ? Only one person will win Adrien's heart, and the more time went, the more Marinette thought that she couldn't win this fight. Like Kagami said, the fencer was so similar to the model, like they were meant to be. Adrien loved another girl, and if she had to guess, it was Kagami. He did ask her for some advice for taking the Tsugugi's heir on a date and she was someone who wouldn't like his jokes. Would it hurt ? Yes. It still wasn't the first time that Marinette had some doubts and thought that she needed to move on.

Nevertheless, she couldn't show anything, placing a poker face on to pretend that everything was fine. She jumped again to lend on another rooftop, the sound of Ryoku's footsteps proving that the temporary heroine was behind. They landed on a part of the famous hotel's rooftop, looking at the situation at street's level. Chat Noir was fighting alone the akuma, Love Eater, that was turning around, shooting beams at the hero. Seeing that, she looked around, turning to Ryuko, ordering her what to do. The asian girl nodded and jumped on the battlefield. Ryuko screamed to Chat Noir to take it a little far away, making sure to whisper what was planned to Chat Noir when they run a street afar from the hotel. Ladybug was looking from her perch, making sure that everything was in order. She couldn't just call her Lucky Charm in the first minutes of the fight. What she wanted to do couldn't be contained in only five minutes. The right place and right moment was needed. Love Eater didn't seem to know that she was here, ordering that they needed both the cat and ladybug miraculous. Ladybug needed to make sure that Mayura wasn't near. Something in her was telling her that Hawkmoth's second in command was still somewhere out in Paris. The gasp that Ladybug heard just next to her made her stop looking around. When she turned around, she was met by a shocked Chloe Bourgeois, next to a ridiculous giant spotlight that the rich girl used to demand her miraculous. Her shocked face turned to anger and indignation when she saw that the spotted hero didn't have what she wanted.

« What about me ?! » Chloe said, putting a hand on her chest. « Honestly, it was _me_ that you should have given a miraculous ! Everything is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous ! »

Ladybug turned to look at the fight just a street afar. The akuma was coming back near the hotel, nearly beaten down. With a sigh, instead of jumping into the fight, Ladybug jumped on the floor next to Chloe, making her less noticeable by the akuma.

« I'm sorry Chloe, but you can't join us. Not for this fight. »

« It's _my_ parents ! » Chloe screamed, clenching her fists while bending a little forward, eyes narrowing. « It has to be _me_ who saves them ! »

« It's especially because it's your parents that you can't. » Ladybug riposted, standing her grounds.

« What ?! »

« Do you know why police officers are excluded to cases when they are related to someone in the case ? »

« No. But why those losers can't even be in police cases is related to my parents getting akumatized, and about you, not giving me a miraculous ? »

« Police officers can't be related to certain cases because things are too personal. The moment a loved one is linked to a case, the officer can lose his calm and logic. It's not just a random person that they have to save, protect or put in jail, it's someone that they care about. It's the same here. Mistakes can be made and Hawkmoth can use the fact that you are close to his akuma to mess with your mind and distract you. »

« As if I'm going to be distracted by Hawkmoth ! He can't stop me from saving my parents ! »

« Everything could be used to change our plan in order to save them. Your parents targuetting you most since you're their child, making the bee more of a distraction than an attacker and first front hero like it should be. Hawkmoth tempting his akuma to say the right words to make you hesitate or distracted, making you an easy target. Hesitation on your part when you have to strike, since you don't want to hurt them. Mayura coming and changing everything, chasing for your miraculous while the akuma attack my partner and me, like during Miraculer. And … » Ladybug explained, a thoughtful look in her eyes while proposing some examples, turning her head away from the direction of Chloe. « ...Do you remember Hero Day ? »

By not looking at Chloe, Ladybug didn't see the way Chloe's eyes widened, a hurt look crossing her face before neutrality wan over it. Hero Day was a good example of how Hawkmoth could use their loved ones to hurt them. Rena Rouge and Carapace were turned into a controlled heroes easily because they loved each other. Queen Bee's parents were already used to making her weak. After that fight, Ladybug swore that she would think more about who she brought with her, at least a little. There were some times when she returned back to her bad habit to give a miraculous to the first person that she knew and was near, sometimes to apologize about something she did or said. However, she still thought about which already chosen temporary hero she could call. With her list of people that could fight by her side, she created a strategy not only around miraculous' powers but also around who wore them. The link between the akuma and the hero was minimized. No sister against other sisters, or child against mother. It was for the best. Every weakness could be used.

« Chloe, I sent Ryuko in today's battle because she isn't linked to the akuma. She doesn't have a second or secret motive when she fights. She is someone that, for that battle, can have a cold head about the whole situation and can't be influenced. »

« Are you saying that you prefer that red thing that has some weird candy on her head over me ? »

« No. If she is too close to an akuma, not near the akuma to make it possible to give the miraculous, or that the miraculous power isn't great for the battle, she won't be called. » Ladybug said, putting her hand on Chloe's shoulder. « I put the same criteria for each temporary hero. It's not about who is better or not and who isn't used often, Chloe. There isn't only you who didn't have the possibility to be on the field for a while. Did you see Carapace around ? The guy was already here before hero day and he didn't even get a flying balloon at his effigy, with how much people don't see him often. » Ladybug added, her face twisting, not knowing if it was a funny or sad anecdote. « I won't let you fight against your own parents. It's already traumatizing enough to be in the battlefield, a magic being threatening you and hurting you. I won't make it even more horrible by making you fight them. There _is_ the possibility that you might never trust them again, looking at their akuma forms instead of their normal selves. It's a part of the trauma that could happen. That's why I treat temporary heroes like the police force treat their men when they are attributed cases.»

Her lessons with the police force made her want to see akuma fights in another vision. It wasn't just about finding the akuma's object, break it and cast the cure anymore. There were also civilians, escaping routes for them as well. After some time, people understood that they shouldn't go near where the akuma was. They stayed at home, or in any type of building or run in the other direction. Of course, there were still some people who thought that their scoop meant more than their own life but it was another can of worms that Ladybug didn't want to open. Hero Day was really a date to remember, changing things for the better. Ladybug went to a police station with Chat Noir, explaining what they wanted to learn from them. She promised that she didn't want to proclaim that she had the same rôle, power, and studies than a police woman but she still wanted to have their opinion on certain matters. After all, they didn't need to fight someone that turned into an akuma since they thought they could lose their job because of heroes. Or was angry that an outsider claimed that they could do their job better than them.

She learnt with Chat Noir, with the help of a group of officers, how cases were given to people, how they dealt with akumas and civilians so far. Both sides didn't want the police force to try to fight an akuma, only to get hurt or in general danger, like in the battle with Captain Hardrock, for example. After hours in an office, they came with a more in-depth view of how an akuma fight went for both sides as well as the idea of an official app that could alert viewers of akumas. Any information that could be used was always a plus before going into the fight. From where the akuma is now, to the object or power of the akumatization if people saw anything. Like that, each side could help more and didn't have to go blind into anything. Escape routes and level of danger were decided as well. Police officers that were specifically in the akuma unit could use those routes to help and protect civilians when they run away. On the other hand, levels of danger were there to make people know what type of akuma was roaming free. Ladybug and Chat Noir could as well know what type of strategy was needed with that type of information. After that, it became easier for everyone.

Ladybug looked at Chloe, her hand still on the blonde's shoulder. The girl seemed to mule over every information that she just got. It didn't explain everything, of course, but it was still enough for now. Ladybug's stare hardened at the thought of Hawkmoth using Chloe again. She already had been akumatized at multiple occasions, was the reason, like her, behind a fair amount of akumatizations. If she could help it, Ladybug had to stop Chloe being a target. Again. Her face softened, an idea coming in her mind.

« How about this ? » Ladybug's voice made Chloe look at her face. « I will come to train you, making you a better fighter, and you would be able to transform into a hero while we train. I will make you learn what I learn, from fighting techniques, to strategic one from the police force. I already did it with Rena Rouge and Carapace before, since they were the first temporary heroes. As of for now, I have Roi Since with me. I can add you as well in this group.»

She didn't say anything about how Chat Noir, after learning that, proposed to train Viperion and Pegasus. She was grateful that her partner wanted to take a little bit of her burden on his shoulders, even if Fu's training made her scream internally that she should do everything herself. To lighter the mood, Chat Noir had joked about his wish to call some temporary heroes his padawans. Deep inside, Chat Noir wanted to at least train Luka. Since he had some time as Aspick, he was the best option to know how the snake miraculous worked. From the mental weight, to how each second chance worked like a timeline that was erased from existence the moment the hero went back. It was a shock to everyone when Bunnix arrived to their first meet-up. Apparently one time or another, it would be said that Bunnix was needed at that exact time and place to teach how timelines worked. It was a great help for Viperion who had a better hold on how his power worked. Sparing between groups had became a routine, something usual between them. It wasn't like they could ask someone to train them without being suspicious and Master Fu was more into hiding than helping. If it wasn't Ladybug and Chat Noir trying to bond to be better fighting together, it was nights with temporary heroes. No wonder that Nino and Alya had been seen jumping and running like pros on a bridge, or how Marinette and Adrien were profesionals on how to mask eye bags. At least now that temporary heroes were included in night training, Alya stopped adding pictures for the Marinette's Challenge for time to time when she was exhausted as well.

« Why all of those losers had training with you, and not me ? » Chloe snaped, awakening Ladybug from her musing. « Even new ones get to do that, and not me ! »

« I didn't ask those who had their identities revealed. You and Ryuko are out, since Hawkmoth could use your identities to his advantage. For now I was searching for a way to make your suit different, in order to pretend that you're a different person, and not Chloe Bourgeois behind the mask. But since there isn't new information for that, I tried to find other miraculous that could fit both of you. I have already something in mind for Ryuko. »

« But I don't want to be anything else than Queen Bee ! It's who I am ! I don't want another miraculous, the bee is _my_ miraculous ! » Chloe retorted. Even her outfit had yellow stripes ! It was meant to be !

« That what I feared, Chloe. » Ladybug replied, a sad smile on her face. « Since you don't want to use another miraculous, I had to find another way to make it looks like it's not you. The suit seems really restrictive into color schemes and aspects. If how I was in black and green leather as Lady Noire or how someone I know looked similar to Mayura when using the peacock decades ago wasn't any indication. If I find a way to keep you as Queen Bee without you being a easier target since the enemy know your identity, I will use that way. For now, I would train you secretly. To become a better hero, to not make the same mistakes for both of us, to bond and being better fighting together. » Ladybug proclaimed, letting her hand fall from Chloe's shoulder to present it in front of her. « What do you say ? »

Chloe Bourgeois looked from the outstretched hand to Ladybug's face. With first hesitation then determination, she griped Ladybug's hand, sealing their deal.

« Cataclysm ! » Chat Noir roared in the background, destroying the akuma's object. When the butterfly was started to fly away, he looked up, searching for his partner. « Ladybug ! The akuma ! »

With a quick swooch of her yo-yo, Ladybug took the butterfly, realising it as a white and pure butterfly. She called for her Lucky Charm, a small bottle that looked like those stereotype bottles for spells and potion, before tossing it in the air, shouting for Miraculous Ladybug. She sent a nod and a smile to Chloe before jumping near Ryuko and Chat Noir, giving them the usual fist bump. Ladybug said farewell to Chat Noir before guiding Ryuko to a safe hideout, taking away the dragon miraculous and sending away the fencer, a longing expression on the hero's face. After a while, Ladybug found another place to detransform, sighing. She gave a cookie to Tikki, looking around her to know which way to go next. When she knew where she was and where to go to return to the park, Marinette sighed one more time.

« Are you okay Marinette ? » Tikki asked, not even half of the cookie eaten. How many times did she hear her kwami saying that ?

« I'm fine Tikki. I... I need to go back to Master Fu to give back the dragon miraculous. »

Tikki nodded, going back in the pink purse while munching the rest of her cookie. While walking back to the park, Marinette reminded her of how Chloe smiled back at her before she went away.

« At least something went well today... » Marinette mumbled, turning in another street.

**

Back at the hotel, Chloe walked away from the big bee spot-light, going back inside. She was, however, blocked by Hawkmoth himself, in his purple glory. Chloe retreated a little, hitting the railing in the end of the roof, seeing the man in front of him. She tried to put her hands on the cold metal to keep her calm, looking at his face to prove her dominance. But the coldness of the railing only made her compare it to how his eyes behind that ugly mask – Chloe knew that they needed to hide their identities now but _come on_ – were staring at her, like he could read into her mind. The villain started to speak slowly some of his words, pausing in the middle of a phrase or prolonging his words. The start of his monologue didn't register, since Chloe was still shocked. Was she hallucinating ? Hawkmoth was never present during an akuma ! It was only the akuma there, then Mayura started to come as well, but never him ! The only reason why he was physically there was because he was planning a bigger scene, a bigger plan to win. Did that mean that... Something was going to happen ? And if he was there, in front of her, was she a part of his plan ? Ladybug was right, after all. Now it looked like Hawkmoth wanted to use her more and more.

« ... Paris needs a new queen. And the queen of my chess game is you. » Hawkmoth said, in a voice that sounded like a whisper without being low.

« You dared to akumatized my parents. » Chloe sneered with a frown on her face. « If I had my miraculous, I'll... »

« It's true. » The man cut, and an hand raised like the movement could shut up Chloe. « But I did it only for one reason. To make you understand that Ladybug would never give you the bee miraculous back. On the contrary of her... » Hawkmoth continued, raising his other hand to open it in front of her, revealing the bee miraculous. « I can assure you that I always keep my words. »

« It can't be the real one ! » Chloe responded, shocked to see her beloved comb into Hawkmoth's purple glove. « Why do you have it ? »

« Try it. And see for yourself. » Hawkmoth riposted with a dark and deep voice before it turned higher. « You are Ladybug's biggest fan, and you helped her, trusted her. But what about her ? Say to me what she did to you in exchange. »

Chloe looked at the miraculous that was presented to her. Why did Ladybug gave to her ? Since the moment she saved her from being a crumble of skin and bones on the floor near the Eiffel Tower the first day, Ladybug became her hero, someone to look up to. Chloe didn't change by trying to be like her idol. She was fine with how she was now and before. People stay the same in their core and she didn't have any reason to change. Faking to be nice didn't last long for her anyway. She did use this fake disguise to be like Ladybug. More than playing around, it was a way to train herself. The yo-yo with it wasn't magic but at least she could learn how to use it since her weapon as Queen Bee was similar. Her ballet lessons made her more elegant, more agile, perfect for dodging with grace. Thanks kwami she wouldn't take the role of hero as a job like Ladybug seemed to take it and yet it was so good to be Queen Bee. To be by Ladybug's and that idiot cat's side, fighting. To have more praise and glory. That was why she liked it, wishing to continue.

Since she was the best at everything that she liked and wanted to try, she declared herself Ladybug's biggest fan. For months the Bourgeois girl didn't know why Ladybug didn't contact her. She was the best hero with the bee miraculous ! Even those peasants could look at her and respected her more than before now ! However, Ladybug didn't come. Not to her secret-not-that-secret hideout. Not the times she used the Bee Call during the night. She didn't do something wrong ! Unknown hyprocrites didn't say that she was mean today !

So what did Ladybug give back to her, for her loyalty ?

At first, Ladybug snapped at her since she took a miraculous without her permission.

_She might have been afraid that the miraculous came to the wrong hands. Chloe could have presented the miraculous to Ladybug or even – gag – Chat Noir and ask then if she could be a hero too._

Then, she blurted out that she shouldn't have messed up with that subway, making her and Chat Noir more work to do.

_She endangered people that shouldn't have been in this situation in the first place if she didn't want to have people to save at the instant._

To finally whine about the fact that secret identities had to be secret and her revealing it the instant that she became Queen Bee was a huge mistake.

_Because it made her more vulnerable, showing which person would have to be targeted to make her distracted, weak. Because it created a target on her back in and out of the mask._

She didn't come to her night-time meetings that she planned in order to take back the bee miraculous. It was hers, and only hers and she deserved to have Ladybug come there to give it to her. But she didn't.

_Outside of akumas, patrols on the other side of Paris, and apparently training sessions, Ladybug was never seen flying around Paris. Let alone during the night. It was more a thing for her sidekick. He was the one that jumped from roof to roof at night even if it wasn't his day to patrol. Paris was huge, it would have been a miracle that the day Ladybug is on patrol, she watched the zone near the hotel when Chloe used the spot-light._

She didn't let her be Queen Bee for so long.

_She was searching for a way to let her be a hero without her identity being too obvious, making it easier and safer for her._

She was incompetent.

_She was Paris' beloved hero._

Chloe wasn't the type to change herself, at least for too long since nature came back the moment she had to stop faking. She wasn't Hawkmoth's pawn. Not Queen Warsp or any other stupid name that he could give her. She was Chloe Bourgeois, Queen Bee, Ladybug's biggest fan. So, she took the bee miraculous from Hawkmoth, placing it in her hair. At least now, the guy that couldn't see style even if it slapped him in the face didn't have her miraculous with him. Polen popped up in existence after the light went away, bowing to her and calling her her queen. After a quick transformation, Queen Bee jumped on the railing. Before bouncing on the next rooftop, she was stopped by Hawkmoth's hand that wrapped itself on her wrist.

« Where do you think you are going ? » Hawkmoth growled.

« Searching for Chat Noir and Ladybug of course. There is still some chance that they are still transformed in an alleyway. If I'm seeing with you, it won't be a surprise anymore. I have to pretend that I'm still a faithful ally before revealing that I'm on the other side of the battlefield all along. »

« You have to accept to be my akuma, Queen Bee. By accepting it from the get go, you'll be stronger, more able to destroy the girl that failed you. » Hawkmoth said, a hint of order behind his voice like he would never accept that someone refused to obey him. He opened the ball at the end of his cane, one of the two butterflies in it flying out of it.

« No. I don't want to be your slave. Like you said, Paris needs a queen. It needs my reign as Queen Bee to transform it into the perfect place to rule over. » Queen Bee answered, looking right at his eyes, lifting her chin in a proof of royalty, flipping her ponytail away for good measure. « I want to be conscious when I'm going to beat up my enemies. »

« … Very well. » He resigned, calling back the purple butterfly inside his cane. « A surprise like an ally turning on them would be a good thing. Maybe we could make them turn against each other if one of them is too emotional about it. Go, my queen, you can find a place to stay until I call you for the final battle. »

With a nod, Queen Bee jumped away from the hotel. Chloe could accept that she wasn't the best liar. It was Lila's job description in the class drama. She, on the other hand, was blunt, only caring about her, not caring about people's feelings. And yet, it wasn't like she lied to Hawkmoth. Queen Been had the impression that the man could do more than ordering around for a bunch of jewels. He could feel people's emotions, why they are feeling like this, how to twist their mind to make them believe it was a good idea to make a deal with him. If she had even thought about her real intentions, he would have known. When she was far away, Queen Bee let herself shudder. She really didn't like to be called _My Queen_ by a weird, old guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hawkass didn't see this coming, huh ?  
> I wonder if the real Chloe would accept this... At first I thought I could use Lila as a replacement for the akuma since there weren't a Miracle Queen there, but then it was too obvious. It would be hilarious to have proof that Lila helped Hawkmoth voluntarily but it was too easy to do that. And creating a random akuma would be too « uncanon ». I had a few ideas of akumas that could work, to make things turn back at the official end of the season but it felt too... Plain. And Hawkass won't be present with at least two people fighting for him and a way to control a lot of people in Paris (like it happened in both Hero Day and Miracle Queen). But it didn't feel finished, so I had to do the Miracle Queen event as well.


	8. Weird unincluded ideas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like the title says so.  
> Bonus chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While writing, there were things that I wanted to add but didn't feel okay to put where I wanted them to be. Some ideas that were too short to do a chapter about it, some ideas that contradict another chapter, etc. So, here is a mix of those ideas in one « bonus » chapter.

**1\. Oopsie.**

_« Like this, when Mister Bug would be needed, you could detransform as Chat Noir and do a fusion as Dragon Bug. Like Plagg, it is unwise to let me use my power without a holder or the transformation itself. »_

_Chapter Alone._

Chat Noir looked at the butterfly flying out of the akumatized object. Finally, he did it, alone no less ! He looked around, searching for a red orb. Tikki arrived, took the butterfly in her hands. A small light emerged from her paws, transforming the purple akuma into a white one. Chloe rose from the purple bubbles that came after the end of the transformation. She looked around, like she was expecting something. Chat could only stare with horror when his childhood friend tried to touch another akuma by jumping into the air. Luckily, Tikki was fast to de-evelized that akuma too before anything happened. She then asked for the Lucky Charm, a set of keys that had fallen into Chat Noir's hands earlier. With a bit of struggle, Tikki held the key chain in her paws before throwing them into the air, shouting « Miraculous Tikki ! ». Chat Noir looked at the kwami after the shout with a raised eyebrow and a little smile.

« What ? » Tikki giggled. « Why not ? When it's Ladybug, she says Miraculous Ladybug and when you were Mister Bug you added your name too. »

The tiny ladybugs started to fly around, restoring everything. However, like Plagg, it wasn't right for the kwami to use her powers without a holder. At first, it was like everything went smoothly but everyone could felt that something still changed. Maybe not near them, but still there, like a feeling deep down that let goosebumps crawling on your back. Then, the high pitch voice of Tikki rang.

« Oops. »

« Oops... ? » Chat Noir repeated, waiting for the worse.

« I just created a new galaxy. »

* * *

**2\. Nope nope nope nope nope.**

« Tikki ! We have to find somewhere to hide !»

Marinette took her box of little magicaroons and chose the green one. The ladybug holder knew that water was the weakness of bee related akumas. If what happened during Queen Wasp was any indicator, she needed to find a way to be submerged into water. Good thing that Paris has the Seine and she could do a run for it. Throwing the macaron into the air for helping Tikki gulping it faster, she puts the little box back into her pulse, hoping that it didn't slow her down too much. Maybe it was her luck that was failing her again today since she could hear the buzzing of the sentinels a little bit too close for comfort.

Marinette's eyes widened when someone harshly pulled her on the side. She fell on a white floor, desoriented. Something or more like someone threw their arms around her, like that person wanted to protect her from something. At first she thought that it was someone that pulled her inside a house or a street in a desperate move to save someone from those bee sentinels. Houses and even less streets weren't going to save them. People were stung inside their house. However, she knew that it wasn't the case there when she got her bearings once again. She went there once, just before some of her more traumatizing akuma fight. She still had nightmares of it, sometimes every night for weeks. Those white walls and little holes like tvs... She was in the Rabbit Burrow. The old version of Bunnix was behind her, half of her body on top of her like she had the possibility to protect her with her body. Then, she snarled.

« Nope. »

Marinette looked at her, confused. What was happening right now ? It was like Bunnix was talking to something, even though they were alone in the burrow. If Marinette met Bunnix, it only meant one thing : something bad happened and she had to stop or repair a timeline. Did... She just... Escape from a bad event ? Did Bunnix protected her ? Maybe those bee sentinels were too close after all. At least she escaped that dreadful fiction where bad things happened. Who knows what could have happened. What if Bunnix didn't save her, Master Fu died ? Or worse ! That he proclaimed that she was the new guardian in front of Hawkmoth, making her an even bigger target ! Or that he lose his memory after that, something that she didn't know happened, even if her apprenticeship should be done ! After being the person that can't be compromised, the one that know every identity except Chat Noir's, giving miraculous to other people, being the guardian, trying to translate the rest of the grimoire alone, creating powers-up by her own, she had to fear that one day or another, she will lose all her memory as well ! What horrible timeline she had just escaped !... Right ? Well maybe someone would at least write something about it. People would have to read that instead of looking directly at a fight in Paris... Or maybe one story about her being a slave for Chloe. Marinette shuddered. She hoped it won't happen in real life.

« It's not canon ! » Bunnix screamed to no one in particular.

* * *

**3\. I'm fine.**

« Master, I need the dragon miraculous for this fight ! » Ladybug said, worried to let Chat Noir alone against the akuma while she searched for another miraculous and ally.

« ...Are you sure, Ladybug ? » Master Fu asked inside the little shed in the park. He looked at her, like he knew something that she didn't know.

« Master... Are you... Doubting my choice ? » Ladybug said, her voice lowering more with every word that passed her lips. « Is there something that I should know ? You look like you are hiding something. »

« No, no. Ladybug, I know you can make the right choice. It's just... » Master Fu answered, giving her the dragon miraculous. « Something isn't right. Like something soon will happen. It's just a bad feeling. Maybe it's because I'm in the open, more than before. Or because Mayura is hiding in plain sight. I mean the woman has purple skin, you can recognize her easily. Or just because you should have taken the bee miraculous instead, to please a rich girl that is related to the akuma that you are fighting instead of choosing Kagami because you are jealous since the fencer is on a date with that model. I mean, it would be so much more appropriate, instead of being a jealous bean, to give the miraculous to someone deeply connected with the akuma, that failed to change herself to be a better person multiple times but still have some people that think she deserves a redemption arc when it’s clearly pictured that the only person she care about is herself. I’m totally an Adrienette fan with how I said from the get go that you were meant for each other, but let's contradict myself by saying that you need to let the guy be with that fencer girl. Adrinette is endgame anyways, no matter how both of you suffered to make it to that goal. Maybe everything feels weird because I'm going to lose this fight when you are gone, being led by Hawkmoth in the Trocadéro for the ultimate battle of this season. A final fight can't be in a park of all things, let's just do it in a famous place. »

« Wait... What... ? »

« Oh, sorry, sorry. My mind isn't as it was, so long ago. »

* * *

**4\. Apologized.**

_« He didn't think that he would see the Miraculous Temple again. (…) Looking at the sky, Fu prayed that everything in Paris was alright. »_

_Chapter I have a plan_

Fu was starting to worry. Where was the portal that would make him come back to Paris ? It had already been a few hours and no portal arrived for him. At first, he thought that after a few minutes, surely, someone would go here to take him back. Fights between Ladybug, Chat Noir and an akuma didn't feel too long before. Then again, with Hawkmoth and Mayura added to the mix, maybe it would take much longer. So Fu waited. And waited. The old man didn't feel comfortable in the Miraculous Temple. Yes, it was where he was trained and lived before travelling in Europe. However, it was also the place of his bigger mistake. Just looking at those halls, the symbols of the floor, made him want to throw up. It was like that nightmare related akuma was back, with the new ability to create places instead of just ghosts made of cloth. It was like destiny turned on him. He could even hear a subtle laugh in the background, like someone was rubbing their hands at the situation... Maybe Hawkmoth ? No, no, the man was still in Paris, fighting to get the miraculous for himself. Fu could only hope that that new dragon holder would come soon. But isn't she a controlled Parisian as well ? Did that mean... That she would forget what happened between the moment she got stung and the moment the cure was casted ? That she wouldn't remember where he was sent ? No ! No, no no, he couldn't stay here ! He would go crazy in those empty halls, scared that the real ghosts of the past cursed him ! He didn't have his belongings with him, nor the Miraculous Box ! If he was still the guardian and the box was in Paris, who would protect it ? It was his duty to protect the box, he didn't want to add a new mistake in the list that stained his life ! Maybe Ladybug could protect the box. She was a competent girl, his apprentice no less. Chat Noir needed to give the box to his partner. Fu wasn't happy to know that his trainee got stung or that Chat Noir could touch the box when everything was already planned for Ladybug to do it alone, but things happened and he couldn't change the past. This time around, it seemed that the next guardian wouldn't be alone, like he was. For now Fu had -

« Who are you ? »

The sound of another voice here made Fu pale like a white cloth. The old man turned slowly, sweat starting to roll on his neck and back. He never thought that he would hear that voice, see that face ever again. When Feast was defeated, he had sworn that he needed to go back to the temple, to explain everything and apologize. But he never did. With every moment in fear that his hideout was revealed to Hawkmoth, it was too much. What if Hawkmoth started to target the Temple too ? So, he never came back here. Maybe he could say to himself that he never went back until now in fear that the monks got attacked, but deep down he knew that he only feared to face down his own failure. Unlike Ladybug, he didn't always fix back his mistakes.

In front of him was the man that asked him to run away, all those years ago. Fu didn't see the beautiful sky, the group of guardians in front of him behind the man that spoke. Instead, his vision blurred, revealing in front of him the old guardian, screaming at him to run, a door opened wide behind him, showing Feast in the flames, with its mouth wide open, eating a man alive. With a quick shove of his head and rapid blinks, Fu regained his bearings. The old guardian in front of him wasn't screaming, helping him escape. He was standing tall and proud in his red robe and yellow pants, his bushy brows in a frown while his mouse was in a thin line behind his long, white moustache and bear. With respect, he bowed in front of the members of the Miraculous Order.

« It is an honor to see you all safe and sound. I, Wang Fu, greet you. »

« Where is the Box, Wang ? » One of them asked.

« I was sent here during a fight to keep me alive. My identity had been revealed to Hawkmoth, a vile man that used the butterfly brooch for evil means. He was trying to force me to reveal our heroes' identities. A new recruit in their rank used Voyage to bring me here. Don't you know the situation in Paris ? »

« We sent some of us to Paris. We waited to be sure we could trust those two children before contacting them. Miraculous had stayed a secret for generations and a terrorist using it had made our existence known, making it dangerous for everything that is involved. We have to take back each of those miraculous and the faster, the better. » Another one answered.

« … Very well. I have a lot to explain. »

« Then explain. » The old guardian in front of the group said, ready to hear everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading until the end of those chapters about Miracle Queen ! I hope you all liked it. There may be some chapters that you'll like more than others and I'm happy to learn what you liked or dislikes about those chapters ! I also hope that I didn't confuse you too much with the idea of those one-shots that can be related to each other or not.  
> Again, thanks for reading this story !

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapters are different possibilities that could follow the event when Marinette got stung. I didn't want to repeat myselft everytime. Chapters after the first one are ideas around the fact that Marinette could have been stung before jumping into the Seine.


End file.
